Life with the Family O

Category: Recipes

  • Toasted Italian Sub with Meatballs

    Let me set the stage: my whole family is obsessed with three things—bread, cheese, and meatballs. So what could possibly go wrong with a toasted Italian sub? Absolutely nothing. And let me tell you—it was amazing. This sub disappeared faster than my patience during a homeschool math meltdown.

    It was a chaotic week, and I needed something fast. While darting through the meat section at the grocery store, I spotted pre-made meatballs. I’ve never bought them before—I’m usually a make-it-from-scratch girl—but I was on the clock and willing to experiment.

    I grabbed:

    • A loaf of fresh-baked French bread
    • A jar of marinara
    • Some Parm Romano cheese
    • And a bag of five-cheese Italian blend (because go big or go get takeout)

    🔥 How to Make It:

    These meatballs cook in about 15 minutes—just simmer them in a saucepan with your favorite sauce until they’re heated through and nice and tender.

    I sliced the loaf lengthwise so I had one big top half and one big bottom half. Then I ladled the meatballs and sauce all over the bottom half of the bread like I meant business. No skimping.

    Next up: cheese. I used about 2 cups of the five-cheese Italian blend, and I don’t regret a single shred.

    Baking instructions:

    • Bake open-faced at 375°F for 7 minutes
    • Then put the top on and bake another 5 minutes—or until you reach your personal level of toastiness (a very real setting in my house)

    When it’s done, slice it into individual servings and try not to burn your fingers stealing the first piece.

    💯 Family Verdict:

    My family are meatball sub connoisseurs and they inhaled it. The meatballs were flavorful, the cheese was perfectly gooey, and the whole thing just hit the spot.

    My husband immediately requested a homemade version—with my sauce, bread, and meatballs from scratch. Fine. Twist my arm. 😏

    🧾 Budget Breakdown:

    • Total cost: $12
    • Served: 5 people
    • Prep + cook time: under 30 minutes
    • Sanity saved: invaluable

    This one’s definitely going in the “last-minute dinner that doesn’t feel like it” hall of fame. Bookmark it, try it, and stay tuned—my homemade meatballs (and possibly my secret sauce) might be making an appearance soon.

     

  • My Go To, Everyone Loves, Cookie Recipe: Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

    Do you love chocolate chips the way I love chocolate chip cookies?  I love them so much that I have tried tons of recipes with variations on ingredients.  Let me tell you that this is the best recipe I have ever come across.  I got it years ago from my favorite recipe site allrecipes.com
    Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies submitted by Clarice Schweitzer
     
    Easy recipe:
    • 1 cup butter or margarine, softened
    • 1 cup sugar
    • 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
    • 1 cup chunky peanut butter
    • 2 egg
    • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
    • 2 cups all-purpose flour
    • 1 cup old-fashioned oats
    • 2 teaspoons baking soda
    • 1/2 teaspoon salt
    • 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

    In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars; beat in peanut butter, egg and vanilla. Combine flour, oats, baking soda and salt; stir into the creamed mixture. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees F for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 1 minute before removing to a wire rack.

    ENJOY!  These chocolate chip cookies are soooooo good dipped in milk or coffee.  They are sure to quickly become a family favorite.  These are also so easy you can throw them together for potlucks, get togethers, etc.

  • Mrs. O’s Cheez-It Chicken Recipe

     

    When I was growing up, my mom worked full-time—yet, without fail, she had a hot, homemade dinner on the table by 5:30 every single night. I still don’t know how she pulled that off. Seriously… cape, tights, the whole superhero package.

    When I worked full-time, I cooked too—but not every night, and it was just for me and my roommate (aka my sister). She cooked a lot too, so we made it work. But Mom? She was next level. She always found a way to make something delicious with whatever was in the pantry. That stuck with me.

    I hope my kids grow up remembering home-cooked meals the way I do—made with love and a little resourceful magic. That said… my kids? Picky. And yes, I’ve played short-order cook more times than I’d like to admit because I refuse to let them go hungry.

    But this chicken? This recipe? A straight-up miracle. Every single one of my kids loves it. No whining, no trade-offs, no cereal fallback dinners. Just clean plates and happy faces.

    And the best part? It’s only three ingredients.

    Mrs. O’s Famous Cheez-It Chicken

    You’ll need:

    • 3 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
    • 1½ cups mayo
    • 3½ cups Cheez-Its (crushed)

    Instructions:

    1. Cut chicken breasts into 1½-inch strips.
    2. Crush Cheez-Its in a blender or food processor to your preferred crumb size.
    3. Add mayo to a bowl, stir in chicken strips until well-coated.
    4. Using a fork, pull out each strip, coat in Cheez-It crumbs, and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet (don’t skip the parchment—unless you enjoy chiseling chicken off a pan).
    5. Bake at 375°F for 15 minutes, then flip and bake another 10–15 minutes until golden and cooked through.

    Let cool for a few minutes and serve it up. I like to pair it with mashed potatoes, mac ‘n’ cheese, and green beans—because if we’re going for comfort food, let’s go for it.

     

  • Easy, Delicious Smores Waffle Cones

     

    This dreary January weather has me dreaming of warm sunshine, sandy toes, and summer traditions. So I’m throwing it back to one of my favorite memories to chase away the winter blues.

    Every summer, our crew heads to Horsetooth Reservoir, where we stay in cozy lakefront cabins. It’s become a beloved family tradition—20 to 30 of us packed in with beach towels, card games, and enough snacks to feed a small army. The kids spend hours playing on the beach while the adults catch up over cards and campfire stories. It’s pure joy.

    Before each trip, I do what every snack-loving mom does—I hit Pinterest. And this year’s find? S’mores Waffle Cones.

    Yes. You heard that right.
    S’MORES. IN. WAFFLE. CONES.

    It’s basically everything that is good and right in the world:

    • Waffle cones
    • Marshmallows
    • Chocolate
    • And a ridiculous amount of candy

    We went all in with:
    Oreos, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, Cherry Nibs, Peanut M&Ms, chocolate chips, and pecans.

    We let the kids go wild filling their cones, then wrapped them in foil and placed them over the fire. A few minutes later—magic.

    Messy? Yup.
    Ooey-gooey? Oh yeah.
    Absolutely delicious? 100%.

    The kids were thrilled, the adults were sneaking seconds, and yes—we’ll definitely be making these again. Next time, we’re throwing gummy bears into the mix. Because why not?

    Summer can’t come soon enough.

     

  • Super Yummy Beef Enchiladas

     

    Go to Recipes > You’ll Want This One.

    As I’ve said before, I cook for picky eaters—#MyKids. There are only a few meals that every single member of my crew will eat without complaint, and this is one of them: Beef Enchiladas. Well… technically it’s Cheesy Beef Green Chili Enchilada Stacks—but who’s got time for that name?

    Let’s just call them Beef Enchiladas and move on.

    They’re a little different than your standard rolled-up, red-sauced version. Truth is, I only like my mom’s red chili. She makes the ultimate savory-spicy red chile that I haven’t figured out how to replicate (Mom, if you’re reading this—help a girl out!).

    So instead, I make mine using our generations-old family Pork Green Chili recipe—and let me tell you, it does not disappoint.

    Once that chili is simmering and smelling like heaven, brown your ground beef. Then it’s time to build those stacks. Cut up about 10 corn tortillas into strips and layer them across the bottom of your baking dish.

  • Easy, Sweet and Salty: Pretzels, Kisses and M&M’s

    It’s that time of year! But the truth is, these are a HIT year round!  Time to start making goodies galore, passing out gifts, meeting with friends and enjoying the season of Joy! Who doesn’t love it all?  I always want it to last even longer! Lights, hot drinks, games, laughs, love and time well spent with loved ones. What’s not to love?

    For my family’s Annual Christmas Cookie Exchange, I decided to go with something super quick, yummy and easy on the wallet.  I am a huge fan of sweet and salty together, it is a magical combination!  I knew I could not go wrong with these. Next time though, for Christmas, I must only use Red and Green M&M’s!

    hershey kisses pretzels mms cookie

    Here is what you need, pretzels, Hershey Kisses, and M&M’s, note I do prefer the square pretzels (they look cuter) from Snyders but they were all sold out:

    Pretzels Kisses MMS

    Preheat your over to 350.  I covered my cookie sheet in parchment paper so I could just slide it off when I need to reload the pan.  Worked great! Layout the pretzels, then place 1 unwrapped Hershey’s Kiss on each one.

    hershey kisses pretzels mms

    Pop in the oven for 1 to 2 mins, they should look glossy when soft and ready. Once hot, start putting the M&M’s on top of the Kisses, they should push right down, nice and easy.  Slide off of pan to cool. I put in the freezer for 10 mins also.

    hershey kisses pretzels mms

    These are so easy & delicious. I like this kind of treat. Especially in this season of younger kids, a busy schedule, and lots of gifts to give, these are perfect for any occasion, gift or snack!

    They went fast at the cookie exchange, next year I am going to make 2x the amount. Everyone loves these. I also made a batch for all the neighbors and my children’s teachers. 🙂

  • “Tie-Dye” Cupcakes

    Recently I made a Rainbow layer cake for my son’s birthday.   I had a box of cake mix leftover and thought I would try making a cupcake version of this cake.

    I made the White Cake Mix and then divided it into 4 bowls, I dyed each bowl and then scooped spoonfuls into muffins cups.

    tie dye cupcakes

    tie dye cupcakes

    tie dye cupcakes

    I baked for 15 minutes at 350.  They kids loved them.  Looking back, I wish I would have swirled the colors around a little bit with a toothpick.

    I did not frost them, too messy and less sugar.  If you make these, share your link in the comments please, I would love to see them!

  • Skillet S’mores

    Skillet S’mores are all over the interwebs this summer.  Who likes waiting until you go camping to cook them up?  In my city, fire pits are not allowed so that is not an option. What to do? Microwave ones just aren’t the same. So glad when this idea came around! I googled Skillet S’mores and then I grabbed the blog with the oldest entry…. she started this yummy deliciousness as far as I can tell.  THANK YOU Five Heart Home!

    I purchased the ingredients and surprised my family with S’mores @ home, in my home, this is a wonderful thing.

    Skillet Smores at home

     

    Cast Iron Skillet Smores

     

    Skillet Smores

    Super duper easy. These were overall a cheap, easy dessert that my family enjoyed very much.  Really the combination is unbeatable, although now I wonder if a sprinkle of sea salt might be in order. I love sweet and salty. I Will let you know how that turns out.

    Other summer treats we are looking forward to… Ice Cream Sundaes, Banana Splits, Watermelon popsicles, Fruit Salad on top of Shortcake, and of course lemonade smoothies (Mommy’s favorite!)

    What are your favorite summer treats?  Share your ideas with me below, would love to try something new!

  • Delicious White Sandwich Bread Recipe

    Stop the presses! This bread is delicious…and it’s easy to make!

    I admit, we only buy whole wheat bread from the store but I don’t buy wheat flour. When I make homemade bread it’s always artisan bread, never a loaf. Well, the time came that I needed sandwich bread for lunch and realized we were out. So I went to my trusty friend Google and found this amazingly easy King Arthur recipe.
    homemade sandwich bread

    I mixed up all the ingredients in my Kitchen-Aid and followed the easy directions.  A couple of hours later my boys were eating the most delicious grilled cheese sandwiches along with homemade tomato soup.

    You must make this! It is so easy and so very, very good.

    King Arthur White Sandwich Bread

    • 1 cup + 2 tablespoons water to 1 1/2 cups lukewarm water*
    • 1 heaping tablespoon honey
    • 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
    • 1 3/4 teaspoons salt
    • 2 tablespoons soft butter
    • 4 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
    • 1/3 cup Baker’s Special Dry Milk or 1/2 cup nonfat dry milk granules
    • *Use the lesser amount in summer or humid climates; the greater amount in winter or drier climates.

    Directions

    1. 1) Mix all of the ingredients in the order listed, and mix and knead — by hand, or using a stand mixer — to make a smooth dough. It won’t be particularly soft nor stiff; it should be smooth and feel bouncy and elastic under your hands.
    2. 2) Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl or other container. Cover it, and let it rise at room temperature until it’s very puffy, 1 to 2 hours.
    3. 3) Gently deflate the dough, and shape it into a fat 9″ log. Place it in a lightly greased 9″ x 5″ loaf pan.
    4. 4) Cover the pan, and let the dough rise for 60 to 90 minutes, till it’s crowned 1″ to 1 1/2″ over the rim of the pan. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 350°F.
    5. 5) Bake the bread for 20 minutes. Tent it lightly with aluminum foil, and bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, till it’s golden brown. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center will read 195°F to 200°F.
    6. 6) Remove the bread from the oven, and turn it out onto a rack to cool. When completely cool, wrap in plastic, and store at room temperature.
    7. Yield: 1 large loaf, about 18 servings.

    Your family will love you even more!

    Click here to see this recipe and many others on King Arthur’s website.

  • Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

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    Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
    Do you love chocolate chips the way I love chocolate chip cookies?  I love them so much that I have tried tons of recipes with variations on ingredients.  Let me tell you that this is the best recipe I have ever come across.  I got it years ago from my favorite recipe site allrecipes.com
    Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies submitted by Clarice Schweitzer
    • 1 cup butter or margarine, softened
    • 1 cup sugar
    • 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
    • 1 cup chunky peanut butter
    • 2 egg
    • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
    • 2 cups all-purpose flour
    • 1 cup old-fashioned oats
    • 2 teaspoons baking soda
    • 1/2 teaspoon salt
    • 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

    In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars; beat in peanut butter, egg and vanilla. Combine flour, oats, baking soda and salt; stir into the creamed mixture. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees F for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 1 minute before removing to a wire rack.

    ENJOY!  So good dipped in milk or coffee.  Will quickly become a family favorite.  These are also so easy you can throw them together for potlucks, get togethers, etc.