a tasty series : mozzarella stuffed meatballs

welcome back to our husband and wife blog series!

today’s review and recipe is…

mozzarella stuffed meatballs!

anything that has cheese, you can count cale in!
so this recipe is all cale’s and jaz’s masterpiece!

what you’ll need:
1 lb of hot italian sausage
1 lb of lean ground beef
1 pkg of fresh mozzerella
2 jars of your choice of marinara
1 bunch of parsley
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
2 eggs
1/2 cup whole milk

 

step 1 } mix everythang minus the cheese and marinara sauce.

step 2 } roll a good size amount of meat into a tight ball.

step 3 } cut your mozzarella cheese into cubes about this big.

step 4 } stuff the cheese cube directly into the center of your rolled meatball.

then roll it back into a ball, completely covering the cheese.

step 5 } cover the bottom of your crock pot with marinara, add a layer of meatballs on top, then cover with another layer of sauce. Do so until you have used all your meatballs and sauce. cover and cook on high for 2 -2 1/2 hours.

step 6 } go tell the minion to wash her filthy hands.

and there you have it! a delicious cheese stuffed meatball!

cale & i loved them, jaz however thought they were a little too spicy. but all in all…delicious!

check out our other tasty trials! 
a tasty series :
mini oreo cheesecakes
cheeseburger cups

thanks for stopping by!
until next time!

always,
jess ♥ , cale & jazmyne

a tasty series : cheeseburger cups

WELCOME BACK TO BLOG DIABEETUS!
aka – our first husband and wife blog series!

today’s recipe trial and review is…

cheeseburger cups

yes, that is right, mother-fluffin cheeseburger cups!

what you’ll need:
refrigerated biscuits
1 pound of either ground beef or turkey (i always cook with turkey so that’s what i used)
1/2 cup ketchup
1 tsp worcestershire
1 tbsp mustard
2 tbsp brown sugar
small slices of your choice of cheese
a variety of toppings…you choose! we chose tomatoes, pickles, onions and avocado

let’s do this!

preheat your oven to 400°

step 1 }  brown your meat, mine will look a little different because i used turkey.
step 2 }  once browned, add the ketchup, mustard, worcestershire and brown sugar.

step 3 }  take your biscuit and flatten it out in your palm first then stick it in the cupcake pan, making sure to create a little bowl for the meat.

step 4 }  now add your meat, you can be generous!
step 5 }  pop these into your preheated oven for about 10 minutes or until your biscuits look golden brown

step 6 }  add your cheese and pop em’ back in for another 3 or 4 minutes

step 7 }  in the meantime, cut up your toppings! try not to eat as many pickles as i did, eek!

yummy cheesy goodness!

now add your toppings

and…..

VOILA!
adorable cheeseburger cups!

so far tasty is 2 for 2 and we won’t stop…can’t stop, won’t stop?
if you missed our last trial and review i linked it below and will continue to do that until we stop this series.

a tasty series :
mini oreo cheesecakes

thanks for stopping by!

always,
jess♥ & cale

a tasty series : mini oreo cheesecakes

hello and welcome to blog diabeetus.
haha just kidding {kinda}

in case you don’t have a facebook {i have trust issues with people that don’t} then i will fill you in on something my husband has stumbled across…

→  buzzfeed’s tasty  ←

it’s basically a 10-15 second video of a delicious, heart attack causing, but again, so delicious recipe.
and my husband watches every one and usually posts them to my wall so i know what to stop at the store for, on my way home.
-_-

i recently saw one and immediately regretted what my salivary glands were doing and i knew, because of my impulsiveness, that i would be stopping at the store to pick up everything i needed.
that my friends, was this glorious, mini oreo cheesecake goodness.
it had me at oreo. 

so to clue you in on why i am calling this the ‘tasty series‘ :
cale has tried two different recipe from this and they came out superb. i have tried just this one that i am about to show you and it knocked people’s socks off!
so we decided that we are going to do a husband & wife mini-series. basically of us getting fat on carb saturated recipes.
ENJOY!

***
obviously my disclaimer is that these are not my recipes and
the purpose of these posts are just for fun and to review them.
{please don’t sue me}
***

oreo cheesecakes!

what you’ll need:
16 oz softened cream cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup sugar
1 tbsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
package of regular oreos {not double stuff}

 

LET’S GET FAT!

preheat your oven to 275°

1 } mix the cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, vanilla and eggs together in a bowl. it’s best to do it when your cream cheese has softened.

should look something like this

2 } line your pan with some cupcake liners. AND THEN…{name that movie!}

3 } drop some oreos in. use all the will power in the world to not pop one in your mouth. you already did it, didn’t you? that’s okay…me too. now use a large spoon to scoop the concoction you created atop of the oreos. go ahead and fill those bad boys up to the brim.

4 } separate about 10 oreos, meaning scrap off the filling. you will only use the actual cookie part. you can either break the cookies with your hands or just take a big{er} knife and chop chop chop. something similar to ⇑ is what you want.

5 } sprinkle the oreo chunks to the tops of the cupcakes. stick these in your preheated oven and let them bake for about 22 minutes. when ready, let them cool to room temperature, then place them in the fridge for 2-3 hours.

AND THEN….

OREO CHEESECAKES!!!!

DELICIOUS…

…AND INCREDIBLY FATTENING, CHEESECAKES!

not going to lie though, i ate about 4 or 5 of them.
so so good!

have you guys tried any of tasty’s recipes?
if so which ones?? i would love to see or hear about your experience!

i hope you guys enjoyed this, there will be lots more recipes to come from the new
mr & mrs!

till then!!

always,
chef jess♥

delicious turkey wraps

and a happy hump day to you fine folk!
it’s recipe time and today i’m talking about yummy healthy turkey wraps!
with a little over 3 months until the wedding, i am trying to eat healthy-ish, and these were so easy!

let’s go!

what you’ll need:
large tortillas {i used wheat}
fresh turkey from the deli {boar’s head is the bomb}
homemade ranch {use low fat mayo}
lettuce
tomatoes
avocado
red onions
low fat pepper jack shredded cheese

 look at how delicious this looks! i ate almost half the stack before i actually started making the wraps…fresh turkey is the best!

 alrighty, chop all those veggies up. the lettuce, tomatoes, avocado and onions.

 after you heat the tortillas up, either in a skillet or as hispanics call it…a comal, add a few lines of your ranch you made. you don’t have to make it but low fat ranch store bought is yucky tasting.

 add just a little bit of lettuce. remember that you have to roll this up so don’t use too much.

 add your turkey!!

 now this is important, you must add the following toppings in this exact order…tomatoes, avocado {extra if you know what’s good for you} onion and finally cheese. BAM!

 roll once, tuck in the sides and then keep rolling. don’t be afraid to roll it tight. if you heated the tort correctly, it won’t break.

 now cut in half and go to town! and by town i mean eat it…eat it all.

i made cale’s a little more loosely. more like a burrito, if you will. still just as yummy, just make sure to hold the bottom!

and VOILA! yummy deliciousness!

i hope you have a great week!
thanks for stopping by!

always,
chef jess!

turkey meatloaf cupcakes!!!

hi, y’all!!!!
i’m back…well as much as my hectic life will let me be haha
what’s a better way to come back than with a cute recipe that your kids and family will love!

so lets get started!

what you’ll need:
1 pkg of lean ground turkey {i used 99% lean)
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1 egg
1/3 cup milk
salt & pepper to taste
mashed taters
for the topping sauce
1/2 cup ketchup {i used whataburger‘s spicy ketchup}
1/4 cup dijon mustard
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp worcestershire

preheat your oven to 385°

 chop up the onions and add it to the turkey, mix

 do the same with the green peppers!

 and again with the bread crumbs!

 add the egg, milk and a little salt and pepper to taste

 roll up the mixture into little balls and place into a cupcake pan

 ooooooooo. those are going to be yummy!

wait…don’t forget to make your topping!

 mix together the ketchup, mustard, worcestershire and brown sugar.

 brush your topping mixture onto your meatloaf balls…tehehehe yes i know, i’m sooooo mature

now stick those bad boys in the preheated oven for about 25-30 minutes. turkey, in this amount, cooks a bit faster so just keep an eye on the internal temp to make sure you don’t dry them out.

 whip up those mashed taters

 to get the little swirl of mashed potatoes i used a piping bag but BEWARE it hurts, so use a towel. or a heat repellant glove, or something!

 dawwww such a cute little swirl!

add some bacon bit sprinkles to the very top

and…..

 BAM!
some delicious, healthy {kinda} turkey meatloaf cupcakes!

these were such a hit with my family and all the guys at cale’s work.
oh my goodness so yummy!

thanks for stopping by!
stay tuned for more recipes!

always,
chef jess

7 layer yumminess!

H A P P Y  C I N C O  D E  M A Y O

ARRIBA ARRIBA!!
i really wish y’all could hear me say that…i’m the whitest mexican ever!
given the festive holiday and the great food that comes with it, i thought i would make a 7 layer dip to take to a neighborhood party we’re going to.
but instead of doing a huge dish i wanted to do individuals because if you’re like me, you love to double dip.

vamanos!

what you’ll need:
9 oz clear plastic cups
piping bags
refried beans
guacamole
2 avocados, 1 tomato, 1/3 cup cilantro, 2 tbsp lime juice,
1/4 cup onion, 1/2-1 jalepeno, salt
sour cream
salsa
shredded monterrey jack cheese
diced tomatoes
green onions

 i only used 9 cups. if you do make more be sure to up your quantities on each ingredient.

 {step one} scoop some refried beans into a piping bag, snip the end off {big enough for chunks of beans to get through} and pipe it into the cups.

 each one should be filled about an inch high.

wait! make the guacamole!!!

 mash those acovados {yes that was intentional}

 dice them tomatoes and toss em in.

 finely chop the cilantro. toss it in!

 dice the jalepenos…make sure to use a glove if you’re a big baby like me!

 dice those tear jerking onions…have some goggles? use them.

 add some salt… not too much, just a pinch!
now mix mix mix

back to the dip!

 pipe some guac into the bag and pipe it onto the refried beans.

 remember only an inch.

 scoop some sour cream into a bag and pipe that in on top of the guac…

 how much? oh just an inch.

 now for the salsa…this was a disaster. i would NOT recommend using the piping bag…just spoon it in there.

 so festive!

 add the cheese, chop some tomatoes & green onions thennnn…

 add some kind of festiveness and you got yourself some awesome treats to take to a cinco de mayo party!

have a fun and safe cinco de mayo everyone!!

always,
-chef jess

homemade chicken noodle soup

happy thursday, everyone!
i wasn’t going to post this until tomorrow but i thought that since i’m sick in bed today, it was more appropriate to post it now.

i made this monday night because cale was sick. i’m convinced that he gave it to me but in reality it’s probably our pesky allergies. any who, he was congested, stuffed up and his throat was killing him. when i called him at lunch he asked if i could make my chicken noodle soup, how can i say no to that sicky {but kinda hot} voice?

this is seriously the easiest recipe to make. so easy i only have two pictures to go with it.

what you’ll need:
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrots
1-2 cloves of minced garlic
7 cups of chicken broth {4 cans}
1 3/4 cups of vegetable broth {1 can}
1/2 pound of cubed chicken breast
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp basil
egg noodles

 {step 1} chop your carrots, celery, onions and throw them in a pot along with the butter and sauté until soft {about 5 minutes}. meanwhile, mince your garlic & start your egg noodles, follow the cooking directions on the packaging.

{step 2} cube your chicken breast, i didn’t take a picture of this because i have decided raw meat looks nasty, haha.

{step 3} add your garlic in with the veggies after your vegetables are soft, stir for about a minute. then add your broth, chicken and spices.

{step 4} bring to a boil then lower the heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.

** i don’t like to add my noodles in until it is served in bowls. i feel like if i add them before it is served, the broth can get really starchy. so i keep them separate but that’s totally a personal preference. 

{step 5} add as many noodles as you want and spoon some nice, hearty soup in and voila! you have yourself a sickness curing, big bowl of yummy goodness!

this is the best stuff to freeze and save for later. if you do freeze it, obviously, add the noodles in. it will freeze the starch right in!

let me know if you try it out and send me some pictures!

always,
-jess

original recipe {here} just a bit tweaked 

a simple pasta salad

sorry i was mia last friday. sometimes i cook really easy stuff throughout the week that requires no recipe. which means no post. whoopsie!
but i’m back this week and i have a super easy pasta salad that goes great with any main dish!
my favorite to pair it with is a nice, juicy steak! mmm mmm mmm!

my uncle robert is actually the one who taught me how to make this, so i give the credit to him! thanks scuncle!!

what you’ll need:
1/2 bag of spiral noodles {i use multi-colored to add some color}
1 cucumber
2 roma tomatoes
1/2 onion
1 cup zesty italian dressing
1 small can of sliced black olives
salt & pepper to taste
optional: 1 small can of sliced green olives. 

 

{one} cook your spiral noodles per the directions on the packaging.

{two} dice up your tomatoes, cucumber and onion….thennn….

{three} mix it all together and add your can of olives!

{four} your noodles should be done so strain them and run them under cold water.

{five} add the noodles to the veggie mixture, add the dressing and stir it up!

now you have a delicious side that will go well with any main dish you cook up! oh especially for some cookouts! yumm!!!

have a swell friday!

always,
-chef jess

homemade chipotle bowls!

this is my all time favorite thing to make! mainly because i’m obsessed with chipotle but also because it’s relatively easy. i say relatively because it’s a lot of multi-tasking.

here we go! hope y’all enjoy!

what you’ll need:
2 medium sized steaks {sirloin or tri-tip}
however many shrimp you think you need. {i am the only one who eats shrimp in mine, cale is allergic, so i only needed a few}
2 cups white rice {cook according to it’s packaging}
2-3 bunches of cilantro
1 large tomato
2 large avocados
1 jalepeño
1 medium onion
1 green & red bell pepper
1 can black beans {if you prefer pinto…then use pinto!}
2 tbsp creole seasoning
1 tbsp chili powder
2-3 limes
1 bag of pre-chopped romaine lettuce
salt & pepper to taste

{one} you’ll want to start your rice first as this takes the longest. i only have a family of 3 so i only needed to make 2-4 servings. i used 2 cups of rice and that was plenty for us.

{two} dice up the steaks you chose. i like to use actual steaks because i find that the meat is more tender than the pre-cubed steak that you can buy at the store. i added a little bit of olive oil to both the steak and the shrimp. add 1 tbsp of the creole seasoning and 1/2 tbsp of chili powder to each of the meats you are cooking. add salt & pepper to taste.

{three} cut your bell peppers into thin slices and cut half of your onion the same and sauté with some olive oil until soft.

{four} meanwhile, while all of the goodness is cooking away, go ahead and start on your guac & pico. i usually don’t go all out with this guac like i normally would because i am making a separate pico de gallo. so all i used for this was obviously the avocados, a lime and some cilantro. super easy!

{five} after the guac, make your pico de gallo. all the while, stirring your meats and veggies. for the pico i used; 1 tomato, the other half of the onion, cilantro, a jalepeño, lime juice and salt.

{six} your rice should be done at this point, so now you will need to squeeze 1 lime and 1 bunch of chopped cilantro into the rice. you may need to add some salt, depending on your preference.

{seven} get those beans a’cookin’!

{eight} for the lettuce, i grabbed a bag of pre-chopped romaine lettuce and chopped it even more. i hate iceberg lettuce so i would definitely not recommend buying that.

{nine} here’s what my spread looked like…kind of like the chipotle bar, right?!

are y’all ready to go down the line… pretend you’re at chipotle…

white or brown rice? oh i’ll take white, please. 

what kind of meat? steak and shrimp, thank you!

oh wait wait…can you add some veggies to that. yeah that’s good thanks.

{out of order…sorry} black or pinto beans? black beans please.

mild, medium or hot? mmm let’s do the mild.

anything else? lettuce and guacamole please. guacamole is ex..YES, IT’S FINE! thank you…

a glorious, homemade chipotle bowl. simply delicious!

always,
-chef jess

pulled pork sammies & spicy coleslaw.

food friday.

well let’s just get down to business.
this is a crockpot recipe, so for all you working mommies, this is right up y’all’s alley.
i’m going to start with the coleslaw first. i found that letting it sit in the fridge overnight really let the jalepeño tastiness come to life!

a big thank you to my neighbor, jessica! she made this coleslaw at one of our neighborhood get-togethers and, while hers was almost too hot for me, i couldn’t stop eating it! so the only credit i take for this recipe is sharing it for the world to enjoy its yummy goodness. thanks, jess!

what you’ll need:
3/4 cup mayo {i used low fat}
1/4 cup white distilled vinegar
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tbsp sugar
salt & pepper to taste
1 head of cabbage finely chopped
1-2 jalepeños {i used 2}
1 carrot finely chopped
1 bunch of cilantro {chopped}

 

{first…& last} errr… mix everything together. haha! should look something this…
refrigerate overnight.

on to the pulled pork sammies.

what you’ll need:
2-3 lb boneless or bone-in pork shoulder
2 medium yellow onions
4 medium size cloves of garlic
1 1/2 cups of chicken stalk or broth
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp chili powder
1/2 tbsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cinnamon
2 cups of bar-b-que sauce of your choice. {i used sweet baby ray’s}
hamburger buns {i used whole wheat}

 

{first} slice up your onions and garlic into thin slices. i (cale) did this the night before so i could just toss them in the crock pot in the morning. i (cale) also did this so i didn’t smell like onion and garlic when i went to work…ew. after the chopping, lay an even layer on the bottom of your crock pot and add the broth.
{i made cale do this for me… i wasn’t even done peeling the crunchy skin off the damn thing and i was bawling! but let me tell you, it was very entertaining watching cale suffer the attack of the onion.}

{second} mix the brown sugar, chili powder, salt, cumin & cinnamon in a small bowl. pat the pork dry with a paper towel and rub the mixture all over the shoulders.

{third} place those bad boys in the crockpot on top of the onions and garlic. cover and cook on high for 6 hours or on low for 8-9 hours.

time to go to work! anyone else have little freak outs when you leave something in the crockpot at home and you’re miles away at work? yep, i know i’m not the only one! see ya in 9 hours!

{fourth} welcome home! does your house smell wonderful? so now you need to turn off the crockpot & shred the pork. if you cooked it long enough the meat should just melt right off the bones {if you bought bone-in}. transfer the meat to a cutting board and trim any extra fat. then shred away!!

{!!!!!!!!!!!}
i FINALLY got to use my pork-n-pull that cale got me for christmas…uhm, awesome!!!

{fifth} either use a big bowl or a pot {like i did} and put a strainer on top. drain all the broth and fat juice {ew} out of the onions. put the onions back in the crockpot or in a big bowl, just depending on how you want to serve it.

{sixth} add the shredded pork to the onions and add the bar-b-que sauce that you chose. mix mix mix!

and……………… 

dinner is served, y’all!

hope you enjoyed this recipe! {here}‘s where i got it from, i just tweaked a few measurements.
i love seeing pictures of when y’all try my recipes, so keep those coming!

always,
-chef jess