Creole Pizza

Lately, I’ve been in the mood for a shrimp boil. Jumbo gulf shrimp, corn on the cob, sausage, new potatoes, Old Bay… Get out! That sounds good, doesn’t it? However, with school starting back, I haven’t had time! Tonight’s dinner took literally 15 minutes to make so it was a big winner in my house, especially with the first day of school looming overhead.

My inspiration for this pizza came from that craving and spun off into a delicious direction. I didn’t have shrimp but it sure would have been good as an additional topping so feel free to play around if you make it.

Creole Pizza

Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 4
Level: Easy

1 pre-made whole wheat pizza crust (I never use these but what a time saver!!!!)
1/4 block of cream cheese
1 tsp. Old Bay seasoning
1 small green bell pepper, chopped
1 jalapeño, seeded and chopped
1/3 c. corn, fresh or frozen
1/2 c. smoked turkey sausage, sliced into bite-sized pieces
1/2 c. cheese, shredded
hot sauce, to taste

Preheat oven to 450°. Spread cream cheese over crust and sprinkle with Old Bay. Top pizza with remaining ingredients, except for hot sauce. Reduce oven temperature to 425°. Bake pizza, either directly on oven rack or on cookie sheet, for 7-10 minutes. Top with hot sauce, as desired. Yum!

Tips
-Add shrimp during the last 3 minutes of baking.
-You can use various cream cheeses with different fat contents. I used fat-free and it was still just as creamy.
-Try using different colored bell peppers.
-Add red onion if you want.

Grilled Turkey and Cheese on Cinnamon Raisin Bread

I’ll be the first to admit it… this doesn’t sound good. But please don’t let that keep you from trying this sandwich. It is SOOOO yummy! Trust me on this one.

The sweet bread and tangy mustard works so well with nice thick slices of ooey gooey provolone cheese. Just thinking about this sweet and savory combo is making me hungry again. What’s with me this week and sweet and savory dishes?

This sandwich is great for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner. Yum!

Grilled Turkey and Cheese on Cinnamon Raisin Bread

Servings: 1
Time: 5 minutes
Level: Easy

2 slices cinnamon raisin bread
1/2 tbsp. spicy brown mustard
3-4 slices deli turkey (mesquite or peppered turkey also works)
1-2 slices provolone cheese
butter

Spread one slice of bread with mustard. Top with turkey, provolone, and second slice of bread. Butter the outsides of the bread and grill, over medium heat, until golden brown. Yum!

Chili Cheese Turkey Dogs

These are some serious knife and fork dogs. The spicy chili and grilled hot dog combo is a classic that simply can’t be beat.

I NEVER order these when I’m out because chili can be unpredictable and VERY VERY fatty. You never know what the consistency is going to be like and you can never tell what cut of meat has been used. I like my chili chunky. I want to be able to see the meat, beans, and tomatoes and taste them all individually if I wanted to. I know, I know… I’m such a weirdo.

This chili is not just good on hot dogs. It is also delicious when served alone, on top of Fritos or tortilla chips, topped with sour cream and cheese, or any combination of the three. An added bonus?! This chili recipe is quick and easy and only takes 15 minutes to make!

Speedy Spicy Chili

Servings: 4
Time: 15 minutes
Level: Easy

1/2 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 lb. ground turkey or ground beef
1 can chili ready tomatoes
1 can chili beans
1/4 c. jalapeños
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. cumin

In a deep sauté  pan over medium-high heat, cook onions and garlic in a little oil until they become fragrant. Add meat and cook until no longer pink. Add remaining ingredients and continue to cook, stirring often, until chili reduces and becomes thick. Yum!

Grill hot dogs, place in warmed hot dog buns, and top with chili and shredded cheese. Yum!

Tips
– My dad likes to add mustard to the top of his chili dogs.
– Jason likes to add sour cream.
– You can use regular hot dogs instead of turkey dogs.
– You can also leave the meat out of the chili and use vegetarian hot dogs.

Breakfast Sandwich

DELISH! This is a staple at my house for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. I make it at least once a week, no joke. The variety is endless and it is relatively good for you, especially if you are on a protein kick.

You don’t have to make your eggs runny, but I would absolutely recommend it, and I don’t even like my eggs over easy! There is just something about that runny yoke that makes the sandwich creamier and meltier (yes, I realize that meltier isn’t a real word, but come on, shouldn’t it be? I mean, I don’t know how else to describe ooey and gooey and straight up awesome)  and it just melds everything together nicely.

Breakfast Sandwich

Cook Time: 10-15 minutes
Level: Easy-medium
Serving Size: as many as you wanna make but below is how you make 1.

2 slices of whole grain bread
1 slice cheddar cheese
1 tsp. olive oil
1 egg
2 slices turkey bacon, cooked
jam, peanut butter, mayo… just your favorite condiment

Top one slice of bread with cheese and toast both slices.  In a small, non-stick skillet, cook the egg in a touch of olive oil over medium heat, being careful not to break the yolk.

Don’t panic if you do… it’s no big deal. Top the cheesed slice of toasted bread with cooked egg and cooked bacon. Spread your favorite condiment on the other slice. Doing it this way makes everything stick together better. Put together like a sandwich. Yum!

Tips
– I used Ezekiel bread but anything will do. No, I’m not on a health kick. It was just on sale at Kroger for $1.50 so I decided to try it. It is actually really good. It’s a little spongier than the bread I’m used to. You can try this sandwich using a bagel, English muffin, or wrap it all up in a tortilla.

– Use any meat you want. Deli style lunch meat works great, especially ham and turkey.
– Change up your cheese choice. I love making this sandwich with ham and swiss or turkey and provolone. Just choose whatever you have in the fridge.
– Seriously, don’t let me lose you here. Just TRY putting peanut butter on you sandwich if you use bacon as your meat. It is AMAZING and melts beautifully. Ugh… my mouth is watering as I type! Try it and let me know how much you like it. This won’t be a regret.
– My husband likes to use mayo when I make it for lunch or dinner. You can also add a slice of tomato.
– Check out this yummy looking sandwich. She used pesto as her condiment: Breakfast Sandwich with Pesto
– If you wanted to put it all together and grill it like a grilled cheese, that works, too. And it is AMAZING done that way… the only kicker is that buttering the toast on both sides makes it a real artery clogger. And if it’s decent without it…then why even go there?