2014 - 52 in 52 #6 - Creamy Spinach and Sausage Pasta

I am always on the look out for easy dinners.  Both my husband and I work full time jobs.  Plus I have my insane commute which takes me at least an hour and a half to get home in the evenings.  Needless to say by the time I get home I am normally less than excited about cooking a bit fancy meal.  I need something easy to prepare and easy to clean up so we are not up half the night scrubbing pans.  If I can find one pot meals, even better! 

 

I first found this recipe(link) when I was looking for new meals per my husband’s request for this month.  It has all of the ingredients to make an awesome dish – cheese, pasta, and sausage. 

 

I have never pan fried a smoked sausage like that before and I had no idea how much grease was actually produced.  You will need to know that ahead of time and make sure that you dispose of that properly.  Please don’t dump it down the sink.  I laid down several super thick napkins and drained the sausage on those before I added the onions. 

 

This recipe was simple to make with very simple ingredients and it turned out awesome!  Both my husband and our eldest daughter remarked at how good it was while they were eating.  My husband even requested for us to make this again, which is a step in the right direction.  I was apprehensive when reading through the ingredients about how the dish was going to turn out with the Rotel and spinach together but it was actually an awesome taste.  We added some pepper jack cheese to ours and the spice level was awesome.  It was a bit spicy but overall not too much so that your mouth was on fire.  The sauce was creamy and the dish overall had just the right amount of seasoning and heat.  The spinach added an extra flavor that really balanced out the entire dish.  We will definitely be making this again!

 

Creamy Spinach and Sausage Pasta

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 20 mins

 

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 package smoke sausage – we used a kielbasa

1 medium onion, diced

1 can diced tomatoes and green chiles

2 cups chicken broth

8 ounces pasta – we used egg noodles

3 cups spinach, chopped

4 ounces Monterrey jack cheese, shredded

2 ounces pepper jack cheese, shredded

 

Instructions:

 

In a high sided skillet, cook sausage in olive oil until browned over medium high heat.  Drain off excess grease.  Add onions and cook until onions are softened (approx. 6 minutes).  Add diced tomatoes and green chiles and chicken broth.  Use spatula to scrape up all browned bits from the bottom of the pan.  This is your flavor and you don’t want to lose this!  Bring mixture to a boil.  Add pasta and return to a boil.  Once liquid has reached a boil, ensure that all noodles are at least partially submerged, and cover with a lid.  At this point you should reduce your heat so the liquid remains at a simmer.  Simmer for 10 minutes stirring occasionally to ensure that nothing sticks.  After 10 minutes, add cheese, cover with the lid and heat until cheese is melted. 

Enjoy!

 

2014 52 in 52 #5 - Baked Gnocci with tomato, bacon and mozzarella

Everything is better with bacon and cheese, right? 

I first found this recipe when I was looking on Pinterest for new recipes at my husband's request.  I am not normally a fan of tomatoes that are visible in food, but I figured that I would make a sacrifice this time because the rest of the dish sounded that it would be tasty. 

I had a semi-boring day at work today; not that I wasn't busy, just bored, so I figured making a longer recipe today would be better than saving this one for a different day where I was more stressed out during the day.  Plus all I needed to have unfrozen was some bacon that I bought yesterday.  It seemed like everything was lining up perfectly for today to make an awesome dinner.

Now the original recipe was written in grams instead of any sort of cups/ounces measurement, so I will spare you the conversion and write mine in ounces. 

This recipe has a few steps to it but the result is awesome.  It was flavorful and creamy and was an excellent answer to the need for comfort food.  A lot of the steps were completed simultaneously so overall this recipe takes a relatively short amount of time to cook. 

Baked Gnocci with tomato, bacon and mozzarella
Prep time: 10 mins
Cook time: 30 mins  

Ingredients:
8 ounces bacon, chopped into small pieces
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 14 oz can diced tomatoes
handful cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1 tbsp. tomato paste
1 tsp sugar
2-3 tbsp. cream
small handful fresh parsley
salt and pepper to taste
17 oz gnocci
4 oz mozzarella cheese

Heat oven to 400 degrees F.  Bring large pot of salted water to a boil. 

In high sided skillet, fry chopped bacon until crispy.  Drain excess grease.  Add garlic and paprika and fry for 30 seconds.  Add all tomatoes, tomato paste, and sugar and simmer for 5 minutes.  Remove from the heat and add cream, salt, pepper, and parsley. 

Boil gnocci until they float.  Remove from water with a spider strainer and add to sauce.   Incorporate sauce and gnocci and pour into oven safe baking dish.  Top with mozzarella cheese and bake for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted. 

Allow to sit for 5 minutes before serving. 

Enjoy!

52 in 52 #17 - Crockpot macaroni and cheese

I love my crockpot(s).  I love macaroni and cheese.  So when I saw this recipe for a crockpot macaroni and cheese, my heart was overjoyed.  You mean, I wouldn't have to stand over the stove and cook a roux, cook noodles and then wait for all of this to bake?  I could really just par-cook noodles and then throw all this stuff in the crockpot and 4 hours later like magic it would be done?  This is like modern day magic! 

I was anxious to test this out as Thanksgiving approaches.  In our family's Thanksgiving celebration, we are in charge of the side dishes.  I am always on the look out for a good macaroni and cheese recipe.  While this recipe that I blogged about the other day was delicious, I am not going to be home for the crucial cooking time for that recipe and was hoping to find something that could just hang out in a crock pot and cook itself. 

I will say this about this recipe... it is cheesey.  For someone who likes a macaroni and cheese that tastes extra cheesey, then this recipe is totally for you.  For us, it was too cheesey.  It tasted, honestly, like we could have half-ed the amount of cheese in the recipe and been completely fine.  And I will admit that I even added more noodles than I should have because it seemed like the balance was already off from the get go.  The taste was good and it would honestly probably work with half of the Velveeta, or half of the Colby and jack cheese(s).  Also, for all of you readers that have the larger circular crock pots or crockpots that heat to a hotter temperature, you might want to cut the time back as well.  I was using our larger circular crock pot and it boils on low some how, so I should have also cut the cook time back by at least 30 minutes or used our smaller crock pot which actually is a low temperature when set to low.   

Even though the finished product was not what I intended, I will definitely be making this again and will update with the changes that I make to the recipe.  I am bound and determined that I will find a simple but delicious macaroni and cheese recipe that I can share with you all.  If you have one that you think would make the cut, please email me! 

Crockpot Macaroni and cheese

Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 4 hours

Ingredients:
2 cups cooked macaroni noodles
16 ounces Colby cheese, cubed
16 ounces Monterrey Jack cheese, cubed
16 ounces Velveeta cheese, cubed
1 stick of butter, cubed
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups whole milk

Instructions:
Boil macaroni noodles for 4 minutes, tops.  It is going to seem very odd to only cook them for such a short time, but believe me, if you cook them any longer they will be mushy and gross by the time your macaroni and cheese is ready to serve. 

Layer macaroni, cheeses, butter, salt and pepper together starting and ending with your cooked pasta.  Once the layers are complete, pour milk over the top. 

Cover and cook on low for 4 hours.  Stir only twice - once halfway through and once at the end.  Any more stirring than that and you will risk breaking down your noodles and turning the whole thing to mush. 

Beware that the edges will get very dark brown.  This will be similar to baked macaroni and cheese.  Ours did not get as brown as I thought that it would, but rest assured that it will not burn and those pieces are acceptable to be stirred in or eaten separately by the person cooking. 

Enjoy! 

52 in 52 #15 - Southwest Chicken and Rice Casserole

I promise I am going to blog about something other than recipes... eventually.  I have been in the zone lately making recipes that I find from Pinterest, it seems.  And (knock on wood) they have been mostly positive experiences. 

Next up on the list is Southwest Chicken and Rice Casserole.  Let me be honest here... I was originally annoyed by this pin because it is just a picture when you click on it.  I don't understand why people do this for a recipe.  Take me to someone's blog or website that has made the recipe and can give clear, descriptive instructions.  I don't want to see a picture with your less than 100 words of description/recipe.

With that being said, I still took the chance and it turned out great.  Our latest version of taco seasoning that we made is a little bit more spicy than I care for, but it made this dish very flavorful. 

Southwest Chicken and Rice Casserole
Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 25 mins

Ingredients
2 large chicken breasts
2 cups instant rice - we used brown
3 tbsp. homemade taco seasoning or 1 packet
1 can tomatoes and green chiles
1 1/2 cups water
grated cheese

Instructions:
Cut chicken up into bite sized pieces.  Add water, taco seasoning and tomatoes and green chiles.  Heat until boiling.  Add rice and stir together.  This is where we differ from the recipe.  We heated our mixture to boiling again after the rice was added, then immediately covered and moved the temperature down to low on our stove top.  Once water is absorbed, stir completely to combine and top with shredded cheese. 

We served ours in a bowl and it was amazing!  It has great flavor and is super easy to make.  The cheese melts and makes it creamy and delicious! 

Enjoy!

52 in 52 #13 - Extra cheesey macaroni and cheese

Honestly, does the Pioneer Woman make anything that isn't awesome?  I should have known when I went in search of a macaroni and cheese recipe that I would find one that was amazing.  Let me back up...

Almost anyone that you cooks seems to believe that one of the easiest things that you can cook is macaroni and cheese.  I am here to tell you that I think that is wrong.  I am a relatively decent cook most days, and I have royally screwed up more macaroni and cheese dishes than I care to admit.  I, however, was bound and determined to find one that was not a complete disaster. 

Back to the Pioneer Woman... we have made one of her awesome recipes before and I would be willing to bet that she is capable of coming up with a recipe that isn't amazing.  She loves butter and cheese as much as the next guy, and how can anything be bad with butter and cheese?  This macaroni and cheese was creamy and cheesey and amazing. 

Extra cheesey macaroni and cheese

Prep time: 25 mins
Cook time: 20-25 mins

4 cups dried macaroni noodles
4 tbsp. butter
1/4 cup flour
2 1/2 cups whole milk
2 tsp dry mustard
1 whole egg
1 pound cheese
salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 2 qt casserole dish

Cook macaroni noodles until very al dente.  I cook mine roughly 5 minutes.  Remember they will continue to cook in the oven. 

Melt butter in a large saucepan.  Sprinkle in flour.  Cook mixture for 5 minutes, whisking constantly.  Be careful to not allow mixture to get too brown. 

After 5 minutes, add milk and dry mustard.  Continue to whisk and cook for another 5 minutes.  Mixture will be smooth and thick.  Turn heat to low after 5 minutes. 

Remove 1/4 cup of mixture and whisk vigorously with the beaten egg.  Add egg into saucepan and continue to whisk vigorously until fully combined and smooth.  Mixture will become very thick. 

Remove from heat and add all but 1/2 cup of cheese.  Stir until melted.  Season generously with salt and pepper. 

Add noodles and stir well to combine. 

Spoon into greased baking dish and top with remaining cheese.  Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes.  Cheese on top will be melted and dish will be bubbly on the sides. 

Enjoy! 

Easy Breakfast Casserole

I have read different recipes from every corner of the Internet claiming to offer an easy, healthy breakfast option to the consumer.  Most of those, after careful inspection, are lackluster in flavor, substance, or are not really as easy as they claim to be.  When it comes to making breakfast, the easier the better, for me.  I don't want a 900 step recipe to follow in the morning when I shouldn't even be trusted to find my own shoes. 

Luckily for our family, I found a recipe for an easy breakfast casserole years ago.  Over time, we have adapted it to fit our new tastes and diet.  Honestly, other than pouring a bowl of cereal, I don't know that you could cook a recipe that was more simple than this in the morning.  This meal also fills you up enough to be a good substitute for dinner.  Who doesn't love breakfast foods for dinner every once in a while? 


Easy & Healthy Breakfast Casserole
Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 45 mins

6 eggs - we use the Aldi brand of Egg Beaters and they are awesome. 
1 lb of turkey sausage, crumbled
1 package of low calorie crescent rolls
8 oz low calorie Colby Jack cheese

Preheat your over to 350 degrees. 

Brown the sausage.  Sometimes we buy the patties and crumble them up and sometimes we buy in bulk.  The calorie count is pretty similar, so I just work with what we have on hand.  Drain the fat from the sausage.  This is an important step or else you end up with grease elsewhere in your dish and that is less than ideal.

Press the crescent rolls into the bottom of a well-greased 13 x 9 pan.  I am emphasizing well-greased for a reason.  If you decide to skip that step, you will run the risk of not being able to eat any of the crust that forms on this meal because it will be horribly stuck to the pan.  Don't ask how I know. 

Once you have the crescent rolls pressed out into a flat layer in the bottom of your pan, pour the drained sausage crumbles over the layer of crescent rolls. 

Pour the beaten eggs over the sausage evenly and top with the shredded cheese. 

Bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 mins until the crescent roll layer is browned and crispy on the edges, the cheese is melty and the eggs are set. 

Enjoy!