Garfield...Recipes with Cattitude! Cookbook (Everyday Cookbook Collection) (23 page)

Cheesy White Pizza

Deliciously different…even our favorite pizza-loving cat likes a change now & then!

16-oz. pkg. frozen pizza dough, thawed

2 cloves garlic, minced

8-oz. pkg. shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese, divided

2 roma tomatoes, thinly sliced seasoned salt to taste

Optional: 4-oz. pkg. pepperoni slices

Spread dough on a lightly greased 15" pizza pan. Bake at 425 degrees for 3 to 5 minutes, until dough rises. Spread garlic over crust; sprinkle with half each of the cheeses. Top with tomatoes and seasoned salt; add pepperoni, if desired, and remaining cheeses. Bake at 425 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes, until crisp and golden. Cut into wedges. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Country Market Marinade Salad

Fresh and zesty! Try other veggies too, like snow peas, carrot coins and radishes.

4 tomatoes, sliced

1 cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced

1/2 onion, thinly sliced

3/4 c. canola oil

1/2 c. white vinegar

1 T. fresh basil, chopped

1 T. fresh tarragon, chopped

1 t. salt

1/4 t. pepper

1 head romaine or iceberg lettuce, chopped

Arrange tomatoes, cucumber and onion in a shallow serving dish; set aside. In a separate bowl, combine oil, vinegar, herbs and seasonings. Whisk until well blended; pour over vegetables. Cover and refrigerate for 5 to 6 hours. To serve, use a slotted spoon to arrange vegetables over lettuce. Serve with remaining marinade, if desired. Serves 4.

Fresh Bruschetta Pizza

With savory twists like this, we could eat pizza seven days a week!

10 roma tomatoes, chopped

1/2 c. red onion, finely chopped

1/4 c. plus 1 T. olive oil, divided

1/4 c. balsamic vinegar

2 T. fresh basil, chopped

6 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 t. garlic salt

1/2 t. pepper

11-oz. tube refrigerated pizza crust

1/2 c. pizza sauce

8-oz. pkg. shredded Italian-blend cheese

dried oregano to taste

In a large bowl, combine tomatoes, onion, 1/4 cup oil, vinegar, basil, garlic and seasonings. Stir to blend; set aside. Unroll crust and place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Spread with sauce. Drain any excess liquid from tomato mixture; spoon over crust. Sprinkle with cheese and oregano; drizzle with remaining oil. Bake at 400 degrees for 13 to 18 minutes, until crust is crisp and golden. Cut into squares. Serves 6.

Mmm…cheese! Golden cheese crisps are tasty with salads or just as a snack. Spoon mounds of freshly shredded Parmesan cheese, 4 inches apart, onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 400 degrees for 5 to 7 minutes, until melted and golden, then cool.

Meatball Pizza Pockets

Try adding a cup of chopped mushrooms, diced green peppers or black olives instead of the spinach…you can even mix & match!

14-oz. pkg. frozen meatballs, thawed and halved

1-1/2 c. spaghetti sauce

1 c. ricotta cheese

1 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

10-oz. pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

13.8-oz. tube refrigerated pizza crust

In a bowl, combine meatballs, sauce, cheeses and spinach; set aside. On a lightly greased baking sheet, roll out dough to a 12-inch by 10-inch rectangle. Cut dough into 4 equal pieces. Spoon cheese mixture evenly over each dough piece, leaving a one-inch border. Fold dough over mixture and pinch to seal shut. Arrange pizza pockets on baking sheet, seam-side down. Bake at 425 degrees for 18 to 22 minutes, until golden. Makes 4 servings.

For a quick last-minute pizza party appetizer, drain a jar of Italian antipasto mix and toss with bite-size cubes of mozzarella cheese. Serve with cocktail picks.

Mom’s Meatloaf

Eat till you explode! Jon and Garfield always bring home a heapin’ helpin’ of Mom’s amazing meatloaf after visiting the farm.

2 eggs, beaten

3/4 c. saltine crackers, crushed

1/4 c. onion, chopped

1/4 c. green pepper, finely chopped

8-oz. can tomato sauce

1 T. Worcestershire sauce

1 t. salt

1/2 t. pepper

1-1/2 lbs. ground beef

1/2 c. catsup

2 t. mustard

2 T. brown sugar, packed

In a large bowl, stir together eggs, cracker crumbs, onion, green pepper, sauces and seasonings. Add beef; mix well with your hands and form into a loaf. Place in an ungreased 9"x5" loaf pan. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for one hour. Combine remaining ingredients in a small bowl. Spread over meatloaf; bake an additional 10 to 15 minutes. Serves 6.

Buttery Mashed Potatoes

A “must” with meatloaf! And pot roast, and chicken & noodles, and turkey & gravy…oh, just pass the potatoes!

6 to 8 Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cubed

1/2 c. butter, softened

1 c. evaporated milk

salt and pepper to taste

Cover potatoes with water in a large saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook until tender, about 15 minutes; drain. Add remaining ingredients. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until well blended and creamy. Serves 8 to 10.

For perfect mashed potatoes, warm the milk a little before adding it to the potatoes.

Super Saucy Meatballs

You haven’t tasted meatballs ’til you’ve eaten these creamy mouthfuls! Serve over noodles or rice for a real tummy-filling meal.

2 lbs. ground beef

1-1/2 c. dry bread crumbs

1-1/2 oz. pkg. onion soup mix

8-oz. container sour cream

1 egg, beaten

1/3 c. all-purpose flour

1 t. paprika

1/4 c. butter

10-3/4 oz. can cream of chicken soup

3/4 c. milk

In a large bowl, combine beef, crumbs, soup mix, sour cream and egg. Mix well; form into walnut-size meatballs. In a shallow dish, combine flour and paprika; roll meatballs in mixture. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown meatballs; drain and return to skillet. Blend together soup and milk in a separate bowl; spoon over meatballs. Cover and simmer over low heat for about 20 minutes. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Cook once, eat twice! Make a double batch of meatloaf, meatballs or taco beef, then freeze half. On a busy night, it’s terrific to simply pull a homemade dinner from the freezer, reheat and serve.

Best Baked Mac & Cheese

Just like Mom’s…boxed mac & cheese can’t hold a candle to it!

8-oz. pkg. elbow macaroni, uncooked

1 egg, beaten

1 T. hot water

1 t. dry mustard

1 t. salt

1 c. milk

12-oz. pkg. shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, divided

Cook macaroni according to package directions; drain and return to cooking pot. In a small bowl, whisk together egg, water, mustard and salt; add to macaroni. Pour in milk and stir well. Add most of cheese, reserving 3/4 cup to sprinkle on top. Pour macaroni mixture into a buttered 2-quart casserole dish. Sprinkle with reserved cheese. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 35 to 45 minutes, until bubbly and golden. Makes 6 to 8 servings.