Homemade Velveeta Cheese

I was so excited to see Michael Symon's alternative recipe for Velveeta Cheese on "The Chew" yesterday. It seems there is a shortage of Velveeta in the east. Most certainly due to the polar vortex that has disrupted the realm of living recently, with unspeakably COLD temperatures.  Thankfully, we live in Florida,  We fuss and complain when the weather gets below 50.  BRRR!  I know...I know!  We have a heat wave compared to most.  Stay warm and safe, dear friends.   If you are out of the smooth and velvety orange cheese...here is a fix for your Velveeta Cheese cravings.

Pizza Bianca

Friday is pizza night at our house which usually includes a movie and/or games.  Pizzas are usually homemade, from crust to sauce and even mozzarella cheese.  Some weeks they are completely from scratch,  Some weeks are east going with fast crusts or even, gulp, frozen.  Yes, we do.  We have frozen pizza .. Once In A While.  Life gets fast and although there are super easy homemade alternates, at times I am just too tired.  That said…I think I will make some pizzas and freeze them, just for those busy nights. These are great pizzas without sauce.   You could add garlic, parsley, basil, oregano (you get the idea) to the dough.  Diced chicken and mushrooms would be great on this pizza.  Oh…and, spinach!  Let's make some pizzas.  

Eggplant Parmesan

A busy dish to make but well worth the effort with praise received.  ~smile~

Broccoli Bake

I do cook real food...see!  It's just that we are in a rut and eat the same things over and over again, it seems.  Until I saw what my lovely friend Ann, of The Fountain Avenue Kitchen shared with us last week.  Her Broccoli and Prosciutto Bake looked too good not to make!  It is an easy dish that I just knew would be a hit, and it was!  I adapted it to use what I had on hand, you do that too, don't you?  Yeah, I thought so. Anywho,  this is really easy, versatile and YUMMY!  It is made with frozen broccoli, my oldest son's favorite veggie, crescent rolls *another favorite*, and whatever you want to add.  I am going to add fresh mushrooms and whatever leftover meat I have next time.   It's wonderful to eat with a fork or cut into small pieces for an appetizer, my son was eating it pizza style.  However, you make and eat it, I know it will be a favorite in your family, also.

Broccoli Bake 

1 tube original crescent rolls 

5 to 6 cups frozen broccoli florets, measured frozen, thawed and squeezed dry with towel 

  you can substitute other veggies and/or meat for part of the broccoli

1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

2 eggs

1/2 cup milk, 

1.4 to 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, or to taste

1/4 teaspoon white pepper. or to taste

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, or to taste

drizzle of lemon juice, optional

Heat oven to 375 degrees F.  Beat eggs and milk together, set aside. Unroll crescent rolls and place in the bottom of an ungreased 8x11 or 9x13 pan.  Put half the shredded cheese over the bottom. Layer optional meat and/or veggies, then broccoli.  Pour milk and egg mixture over top.  Drizzle with lemon juice, if using and sprinkle with  seasonings,  Top with rest of cheese.  Bake in preheated oven for 30-40 minutes until set and golden brown.  Enjoy  

I cooked this in a Le Creuset baking pan I bought over 20+ years ago.  I love it! 

This is shared on this great party!
The Better Baker Weekend Potluck #46

Spinach and Red Pepper Lasagna Roll Ups

Yesterday was a busy day, which is beginning to become the norm around here!  Busy days and busier nights is seems.  


Everyone wanted lasagna..I knew I had cheese, spinach and red peppers at home. 


I bought lasagna noodles that were flat and no boil.  When I got home I decided to make lasagna rollups instead of regular lasagna.  I heated water, not to a boil. Then added my noodles...I did them one at time.  Just because...well, just because I suppose.  Layered the filling and rolled them up.  Placed on top of sauce, put sauce on top and in the oven they went!   


Use what you have at home.  Any ground meat.  Any type of lasagna noodle.  Any small curd cheese, ricotta or cottage cheese.  Any peppers.  Any spaghetti sauce.  You get the idea.  <3  It will be delicious!