Kopp's Cookings

Melissa's Creamy Chicken Pesto

Today's recipe: Creamy Chicken Pesto

Submitted by: Melissa Wilson

Okay, so your probably wondering why the heck its taken me so long to post this... Well, the past few weeks have been extremely hectic. A visit to Michigan to see my mom, a garage sale, a surprise 50th birthday for Mandy's mom, and a week long vacation to visit my sister and brother in law in Utah. So i apologize how long this has taken. You guys must be starving! Now to the Food!

Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 20- 25 Minutes
Ready In: 35- 40 Minutes
Serves: 5-6 People

Here's What You'll Need:

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 cans (10.75 oz) cream of chicken soup
1 cup pesto sauce
1 box (16 oz) bow tie pasta
3 oz. cream cheese
1 tomato (or sundried tomatoes if you prefer)

Directions:

1. Boil Chicken until fully cooked shred and set aside.

2. Boil Water and cook full box of bow-tie pasta.
3. In large sauce pan combine pesto, cream cheese, and soup. Bring to a boil (continually stirring) then add chicken.
4. Once sauce and noodles are done, combine and add chopped tomatoes.

5. Season dish with Parmesan cheese and garlic salt to taste.

The Finished Product!

My Personal Review:

Thank you Melissa for taking the time to submit this recipe. This Creamy Chicken Pesto was to die for! It was Quick, extremely easy to make, and keeps you wanting more! This is now one of my favorite homemade Italian meals!

My Overall Rating: 5 out of 5 Clean Plates

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Cheesy Potato Casserole

Today's surprise recipe is Cheesy Potato Casserole! I figured that I would post a very easy recipe someone can make with little preparation and things most people have around the house! Hope you enjoy!

Prep Time: 20 Min.
Cook Time: 10 Min.
Ready In: 30 Min.
Serves: 4-5 People

Here's What You'll Need:

6 Potatoes
1 Can Cream of Potato Soup
1.5 Lbs Ground Beef
3 Cups Shredded Cheese

Directions:

1. Peel and cube Potatoes. Place Potatoes in pot and boil in water until tender. Strain and set aside. (Tip: rinse potatoes after cutting to keep from boiling over.)

2. While Potatoes are boiling, Preheat oven to 350 Degrees. brown Ground Beef in large skillet, drain grease, Stir in 1 can of Cream of Potato Soup to Ground Beef until warm.

3. In a round Casserole dish layer ground beef, potatoes, and cheese. using small amounts of each creating 2 - 3 layers of Potatoes, Beef, and Cheese.

4. Bake Casserole for 10- 15 Minutes or until cheese is melted.

The Finished Product!

My Personal Review:

The Cheesy Potato Casserole is a very simple dinner, easy to make, and delicious! This recipe is great for families with little time to prepare meals, and is very filling. I recommend treating the Casserole like a baked potato, add sour cream, salt and pepper... you name it! I guarantee Everyone in the family will enjoy this easy recipe!

My Overall Rating: 3 out of 5 Clean Plates

Next Weeks Recipe:

Creamy Chicken Pesto
Submitted by: Melissa Wilson

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Shrimp Aldo

Today's recipe: Shrimp Aldo

Submitted by: Bonnie Curry

Bonnie Writes:

"This recipe provides a simple yet gourmet looking meal that tastes great and can be completed start to finish in about 20 minutes. (Serve with Italian bread for sauce dipping!)”

Thank you Bonnie for taking the time to submit this wonderful recipe! Your Shrimp Aldo truly is a gourmet Italian meal!

Prep Time: 5 Min
Cook Time: 15 Min
Ready In: 20 Min
Serves: 4 People

Here's What You'll Need:

1/4 lb garlic butter
1 stick of butter
juice of 2 lemons
1, 8 oz can of mushrooms
1/2 cup white cooking wine
2 lbs uncooked shrimp - peeled and deveined
1 lb. spaghetti or linguine.

Directions:

1. Start water to boil and add pasta when water is ready.

2. Quickly saute shrimp in garlic butter until fully cooked, remove from pan and keep warm.

3. Combine butter, lemon juice, mushrooms, and cooking wine to pan drippings and stir

4. Pour half the sauce over shrimp. Serve shrimp with remainder of sauce, noodles and sprinkle with cheese. Serve with Italian bread for sauce dipping

The Finished Product!

My Personal Review:

Okay, First things first. If your thinking... Gee, I think Ill save the extra couple dollars and buy the uncooked shelled shrimp rather than the uncooked peeled shrimp... please think again. Two pounds of shrimp is a lot to peel when you have hungry people waiting! Other than that little 20 minute mistake, this was a very easy 20 minute meal that almost anyone can make!

My Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 Clean Plates

Next Weeks Recipe:

Creamy Chicken Pesto
Submitted by: Melissa Wilson

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WHAT'S FOR DESSERT?

Notice Anything New?

Hey Everyone! I just wanted to let everyone know about a few changes that I have made to my page layout. First off, You'll notice a new Submit a Recipe button below every post. This gives the readers of Kopp's Cookings a chance to submit recipes for me to make, take pictures, and review. I encourage everyone to take the opportunity to submit a recipe while I still have openings. Heck, if i start getting more recipes submitted, I may have to make this a daily things! ( Then I'll have to start a weight loss blog!)

The second change to Kopp's Cookings is the new, What's for Dessert Link, located below the Submit a Recipe button. This new link takes you to my "sister site" Lou Bell Bakes, run by no other than my sister Melissa. Here are some Tasty Previews of Lou Bell Bakes!

Cinnamon Roll Heaven

O-R-E-O Recipe

My Overall Rating For Lou Bell Bakes: 5 out of 5 Clean Plates

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Mac and Cheese Bacon Cups

Today's recipe: Mac and Cheese Bacon Cups

Submitted by: Marissa Gee,

Marissa Writes:

"Assuming you share the same bacon addiction as your brother Dan, I thought you might be interested in trying out this recipe."

Thank you Marissa for taking the time to submit the Mac and Cheese Bacon Cup recipe to Kopp's Cookings. And Yes... I too Share the bacon addiction. So all you bacon addicts, it's time for you to grab a pen and paper, and take notes! (That includes you Dan.)

Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 30 min
Ready In: 45 min
Serves: 3-4 People

Here's What You'll Need:

Paper Towel
Velveeta Cheese
Small Pyrex Dishes
1lb Bacon
Macaroni
2 Cups Milk
2-3 Tbl flour
1 Tbl Butter

Directions:

Bacon Cups:

1. place 2 paper towels on Microwavable plate, Place 1 small Pyrex dish in center of plate. fold 1 paper towel into quarters, and lay on top of Pyrex dish.

2. Lay 3 strips of bacon across top of paper towel creating an asterisk. (*see picture)

3. Begin to weave strips of bacon over and under original 3 pieces of bacon until bacon cup is complete. Cover with paper towel. Cook in Microwave for 5-7 minutes or until bacon in cooked completely. While cooking begin to make next Bacon Cup. ( Tip: weave bacon tightly so there are no gaps for cheese to seep through. *see picture)

4. Once Bacon Cup is cooked, Carefully remove Pyrex bowl, and paper towels. (WARNING: Paper towels, plate and Pyrex Bowls will be HOT!)

5. Place Mac and Cheese Into Bacon Cups and serve warm.

Mac and Cheese:

1. Boil Water in a large sauce pan. once boiling add Macaroni cook till desired doneness is achieved. Drain but DO NOT rinse.

2. In a separate sauce pan add 2 cups of milk, 1/2 a large block of Velveeta cheese (cubed), and 1 Tbl butter, 2-3 Tbl flour. Constantly Stir over medium heat until sauce thickens. Pepper to taste.

3. Combine Macaroni and Cheese Sauce, let sit for 3-4 minutes to thicken. Serve in Bacon Cup.

The Finished Product!

My Personal Review:

Well, this recipe is definitely a bacon addicts recipe! I think the Bacon Cups were a delicious addition to the classic Mac and Cheese, even if the cups were a bit hard to make. While eating i was a bit perplexed... I wasn't sure whether i wanted to eat the Bacon Cup with the mac and cheese, or save it till the end...

My Overall Rating: 3 out of 5 Clean Plates

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Grilled Steak Kabobs

Today's recipe is one of my all time, favorite grilling recipes. Grilled Steak Kabobs! Served with Grilled Onions, Grilled Green Peppers, and Grilled Pineapple! This recipe is great for parties or for a family get together, and there will be plenty of food for everyone!

Prep Time: 2 Hours
Cook Time: 30 Min.
Ready In: 2.5 Hours
Serves: 7-8 People

Here's What You'll Need:

5 lbs. Stew Meat (sold at Sam's Club)
1 Pineapple
2 Green Bell Peppers
2 Onions
4 Cloves Garlic Minced
1.5 Cups Water
2/3 Cup Soy Sauce
1/2 Cup Honey
4 Tbl. Olive Oil
4 Tbl. Lemon Juice
skewers- (Metal skewers recommended)

Directions:

In A medium sized mixing bowl add minced Garlic, Lemon Juice, Olive Oil, Honey, Soy Sauce, and water. Mix until honey is dissolved.
Add chunks of stew meat into a large zip lock bag. Pour in Marinade. Seal Bag, Store in refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
While meat is marinading, Cut Onions, Green Peppers, and Pineapple into bite sized pieces, and place on skewers. Skewer vegetables separate from pineapple. Set aside. ( Tip: If using wooden skewers soak for 24 hours before use.)
after meat is done marinading, add to separate skewers.
Place Meat, Vegetables, and Pineapple on a preheated grill. Cook on medium High for 25- 30 Minutes cooking all sides evenly. (tip: If vegetables cook faster remove from grill, and set aside. Place them Back on the grill for the last 5-10 minutes.)
Remove From Skewers and let sit for 5 minutes before serving. (caution: Skewers will be hot!)

The Finished Product!

My Personal Review:

These Steak Kabobs were the most amazing kabobs I've ever tasted. The marinade gives them the perfect taste and keeps them extremely juicy. Like I said in the intro, these kabobs are perfect for large gatherings. One thing I would recommend the use of metal skewers. Even if the wooden skewers are soaked for over 24 hours, they still tend to dry up, burn, and eventually break even if you are not done cooking.

My Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 Clean Plates

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Next Weeks Recipe:

Mac & Cheese Bacon Cups
Submitted by: Marissa Gee

Sourdough Pizza

Today's sourdough pizza is no Traditional pizza. Its Made with a delicious homemade sourdough crust. Stacked with fresh tomatoes (instead of sauce), Onions, Garlic, Green Bell Peppers, Sausage, and Mozzarella cheese. This is a pizza any family will love!

Prep Time: 30-40 Min.
Cook Time: 30 Min.
Ready In: 1 Hour
Serves: 4-5 People

Here's What You'll Need:

Pizza Crust:
1.5 Cups Sourdough Starter
4-5 Tbl. Olive Oil
1 Tsp. Salt
1.5-2 Cups of Flour

Pizza Toppings:
1 Sausage Roll (Original Flavor)
1 Green Bell Pepper
2 Cloves Garlic
1/2 White Onion
3 Large Tomatoes
Italian Seasoning
Mozzarella cheese

Directions:

Pizza Crust:

Preheat oven to 500 Degrees
Mix Starter, 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt, and flour together until it blends and forms a ball
Allow dough to rest for about 30 minutes.
roll dough until its the size of your pan.
place on pan and pre-bake the crust for about 7 min. Remove from oven and brush entire top of pizza with olive oil (keeps moisture out of the crust)
Set aside until toppings are ready

Pizza Topping:

Chop Onion, Tomatoes, Green Bell Pepper, and Garlic Cloves into desired sizes.
Place tomatoes into a bowl. Place Onions, Green Bell Pepper, and Garlic into separate Bowl.
Place Sausage roll into skillet break into small pieces. Cook in high about 5 minutes. Add Onions, Green Bell Pepper, and Garlic to skillet. Cook until sausage is browned and vegetables are tender. Strain if Necessary.
Add 2 tsp. Italian seasoning to tomatoes. Mash Tomatoes lightly to release some of the juices.

Topping and Cooking the Pizza:

Use a slotted spoon to add semi-mashed Tomatoes on the pre-baked crust. Spread evenly over crust. Discard leftover tomato juice.
Use a slotted spoon to add Sausage, Onion, Green Bell Pepper, and Garlic mixture to Top of pizza.
Cover Pizza with desired amount of Mozzarella cheese.
Bake at 500 Degrees for 10- 15 minutes or until cheese is melted and slightly browned.
Slice and Serve!

The Finished Product!

My Personal Review:

This tasty Sourdough pizza should be on everyone's must try list. Its sourdough crust and the crushed fresh tomato gives it unique flavor and makes it stand out from any delivered pizza. Although this recipe seems simple, it would sure help to have an extra set of hands in the kitchen for this one!

My Overall Rating: 3 out of 5 Clean Plates

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WHAT'S FOR DESSERT?

Sourdough Starter for Sourdough Pizza

Today's post will be a 2 part post.
*Pizza Recipe, pictures, and review to follow later tonight*

The first part of today's post will be the directions to making the sourdough starter needed for the crust of the sourdough pizza. Its a very simple process but can take anywhere from 2-5 days till it is complete. The pizza recipe can also be made with a traditional pizza dough, but i like the flavor of the sourdough crust.

Prep Time: 10- 15 min.
Ready In: 2-5 Days

Here's What You'll Need:

2 Cups Spring Water
1 Tbl. Sugar, Honey, or Maple Syrup
2 Cups all purpose flower
1 Tbl. Yeast

Directions:

Beat all of the ingredients together in a bowl
Cover the bowl with a towel and place in a warm area (cover bowl with cloth not plastic to allow airborne wild yeast to enter) The starter will bubble within a few minutes. It will double in size, but as it begins to ferment it will settle down.
Let the starter sit in a warm place, stirring the liquid back into the batter (it will separate) once a day for 2- 5 days. When the bubbling has stopped and it has a sour yeasty aroma, it is ready to use.
Stir the mixture and measure the amount needed. It should be the consistency of pancake batter.

Keep Your Starter Going

Store the finished starter in a sealed jar in the refrigerator.
Every time you remove an amount of starter add to your starter an equal amount of flower and water. (If you use 1/2 cup starter add 1/2 cup each of flower and water) Let the starter sit in a warm place for 12 hours then Return to refrigerator.

A starter can be kept as long as you would like. Every week or two, be sure to use/ remove part of the starter, and add as much flower and water as you used/ removed.

*Pizza Recipe, pictures, and review to follow later tonight*

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Nanny's Favorite Pot Roast

Today's recipe is Nanny's Pot Roast! (For those who don't know, Nanny is my mom's, mom.) As a kid, one of my favorite memories about going over to Nanny's house was the smell of what she was cooking for dinner! The recipe is a little time consuming, but well worth the wait.

Prep Time: 30 Min.
Cook Time: 3-4.5 Hours
Ready In: 3.5-4.5 Hours
Serves: 4-5 People

Here's What You'll Need:

4-5 lbs Rump Roast or Bottom Round
4-5 Potatoes
1 Med Tomato
1 Medium Onion
1/2 Bell Pepper Sliced
2 Cloves Chopped Garlic
2 Cups Beef or Chicken Broth
1 Bag of Baby Carrots
Kitchen Bouquet
2T Parsley
2T Basil
Pepper
Salt

Gravy:

1 Cup Beef or Chicken Broth
2-3T Corn starch
2T Gravy Master

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Chop Onion, Tomato, and Half Bell Pepper intolarge pieces. Set Aside.
Brown all sides of meat on stove top. when browned add to pot, brush all sides with Kitchen Bouquet, salt and pepper to taste.
Add Chopped Onion, Tomatoes, Garlic, Bell Pepper, Parsley, Basil, and Beef or Chicken Broth to pot. Cover and cook for 2-3 Hours.
Before removing pot chop potatoes into cubes. Remove Pot from oven, add Baby Carrots, And Potato Cubes Cook for an additional 1- 1.5 Hours or until meat is 165-170 degrees. Let stand for 15- 20 min.

Gravy Directions:

In pan, add 1 can Chicken or Beef Broth, 2-3 T of Corn Starch, 2T of Gravy Master. Mix well. Stir frequently on low heat until thick.

The Finished Product!

My Personal Review:

This recipe is absolutely AMAZING, The aroma in the house teases you for hours! When done, you can finally enjoy the juicy, perfectly spiced roast, that falls apart in your mouth. The tender potatoes and carrots covered in a smooth dark gravy complement the roast, and are a perfect side. What do you expect me to say about my grandmas recipe??? But believe me, It is the truth! The only down fall of the recipe is the time it takes to prepare and cook it, but that's not Nanny's fault!

My Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 Clean Plates

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Chris' Bay Area Burger

For my first recipe I've decided to make an American favorite, Cheese Burgers. Normally burgers consist of ground beef, salt, and pepper. Toss it on a bun, now add one, or all of the following... ketchup, mustard, mayo, possibly some lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, and onions. Don't forget your cheese! American, Swiss, Cheddar, Pepper Jack, Blue Cheese... You get the point. So simple but yet so many combinations! So you think you've got the burger thing under control... right? Not yet! Today I've decided to take the original Cheese Burger and jazz it up a bit! The recipe is called "Chris' Bay Area Burgers"

Prep Time: 10 Min.
Cook Time: 20 Min.
Ready In: 30 Min.
Serves: 4 People

Here's What You'll Need:

1 pound ground beef
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried basil leaves
4 hamburger buns, split
4 Slices of cheese of your choice

Directions:

Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat. Mix together the ground beef, garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper, and basil. Divide into four balls, and flatten into patties.
Cook the patties for about 3 to 5 minutes on each side, or to desired doneness. The internal temperature should be at least 160 degrees F (70 degrees C). Remove from grill and place onto hamburger buns. Top with desired toppings and condiments.

The Finished Product!

My Personal Review:

Overall, This was a delicious NEW recipe and would definitly make it again sometime! It was very quick, and simple, and was well worth the 30 minutes. It was lacking a little something, I think it needed a special sauce, or something other than your normal ketchup and mustard etc. Others recommended serving with fresh mozzarella slices on a rosemary/ red onion focaccia instead of a hamburger bun.

My Overall Rating: 3 out of 5 Clean Plates

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Kopp's Cookings

Welcome, and thank you for taking the time to look at my new blog! Kopp's Cookings is dedicated to all those delicious recipes that people love. I will try my hardest to cook something weekly, take pictures, write out the recipe, and share my comments about what i liked and disliked about the food. Please feel free to review the recipes, post comments, and also submit your own! If there is any specific topics/ recipes you would like me to try and review let me know!

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