Pizza Spaghetti Squash Casserole

Surprise...guest post by Bethany!!  I've been trying out a lot of new recipes lately and wanted to share one of my favorites of the batch.  A friend of mine sent this along and it is yum yum yummy!  It's from the PaleOMG site but I unpaleoed it by sprinkling a little cheese on top.  Because I'm a wild woman like that!  Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 1 large spaghetti squash 

• 1 pound Italian sausage

• ½ yellow onion, diced

• 1 cup pizza sauce (no sugar added) - (I bought a 14 oz jar and used the whole thing, it turned out fine)

• 1 teaspoon dried basil

• salt and pepper, to taste

• 3 eggs, whisked

• Optional: add anything you like with pizza: zucchini, mushroom, etc. 

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

• Cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise. Place spaghetti squash cut side down on a baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the skin of the squash gives when you press on it.  (I did 25 minutes and the squash did not seem as cooked as it should be, but the reviews stressed not overcooking the squash, so I went with it and it turned out great!)  Then reduce oven heat to 350 degrees.

• Once squash is done cooking, remove threads and place in an 8×8 greased baking dish.

• Place a large pan over medium heat. Add Italian sausage and onion. Cook until pink no longer remains in the sausage and it is broken up into pieces.

• Add pizza sauce, dried basil and salt and pepper to the pan and mix well.

• Add sausage mixture to the 8×8 dish and mix well with spaghetti squash threads.

• Lastly, add whisked eggs to the baking dish and mix everything together until you can no longer see the eggs.  This seemed weird and messy to me, so I mixed everything together in a mixing bowl before transferring it to the baking dish.  One more thing to wash, but I didn't trust that it would get properly mixed all smushed in a small baking dish.

• Place in oven and bake for 1 hour or until the top of the mixture forms a slight crust that doesn’t give when you press on it in the middle of the dish.

• Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Shrimp with Black Beans and Rice

Last Thursday we had leftovers

Friday I made our Friday night stand by, Gouda Salad Pizza YUM!

Saturday we were in Chicago for our anniversary and ate at an amazing Asian fusion restaurant called Sunda. We had sushi - outstanding~

Sunday - leftovers

Last night I had book club, so no cooking for me!

Tonight my neighbor Ann is coming over for dinner. Her husband is traveling on business for 2 weeks . . . besides we need to catch up. We're having Shrimp with Black Beans and Rice with a salad. This is also good without the shrimp.

Shrimp with Black Beans and Rice

 

1 lb. raw, peeled shrimp

2-3 cloves garlic minced

½ c. chopped onion

1 t. cumin

1 t. chili powder

16 oz. can whole tomatoes, chopped and undrained

1 can black beans, drained

Salt and pepper

Rice

Chopped green onions

Cilantro chopped

 

Saute onion and garlic in olive oil until onion is clear.  Add shrimp and saute about 5 minutes or less.  Add cumin, chili powder, tomatoes and black beans. Heat through. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve over rice and top with green onions and cilantro.

 

Serves 3

Monday night I made this.   I'm reading the book We Laugh, We Cry, We Cook by Becky Johnson and Rachel Randolph.    The recipe is there but also all the recipes are on their blog:   

http://welaughwecrywecook.com

Pesto Parmesan Chicken

Serves 2 people (with big appetites)

Ingredients

2 large boneless chicken breasts    (I used the smaller pieces called CHICKEN TENDERS and so I have a good amount of leftover pieces to use for another night!!)  

Salt & Pepper (to taste, to sprinkle lightly on chicken)

2 cups marinara sauce (your favorite bottled brand or homemade)

¼ cup fresh or grated mozzarella

1/4 cup olive oil

1 T. butter

1/2 cup Pesto

1 cup Panko bread crumbs

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided

Heat Oven to 400 degrees

Instructions:

Heat the marina in a saucepan until hot.

Put olive oil and butter in a large oven proof skillet and heat to medium high.

Rinse and pat boneless chicken breasts dry. Sprinkle both sides lightly with salt and pepper. Put pesto in a shallow bowl. In another shallow bowl mix Panko and ½ c. Parmesan cheese. Lay chicken breasts, one at a time, into pesto first, coating both sides of breast and edges thoroughly, and then in Panko-Parm mixture, coating both sides and edges of breasts thoroughly again.

Saute the breasts on both sides until the coating is crispy and golden. You may have to add a little more oil depending on size of breasts and your pan.  (Drain off excess oil, if there is a lot of it, before putting in oven.)

Then put the entire skillet into the oven and cook for about 5 minutes. Remove from oven and ladle each breast with ¼ cup marinara, 2 T. mozzarella and 2 T. Parmesan cheese. Place back in the oven for 5 to 10 more minutes or until cheese is melted and chicken breast is cooked but not overly so. (A meat thermometer is helpful here, but if you don’t have one, just cut through the middle of one of the breasts to check for doneness.)

Before serving ladle each breast with more marinara and sprinkle with more Parmesan cheese. This dish is excellent served with a side of angel hair pasta that has been tossed in a little pesto.

Sausage Soup with Spinach and Wild Rice

What a week I had last week of NOT cooking!
Monday I had a meeting at church so leftovers it was
Tuesday we went out for our belated Valentine's dinner
I forget what I did on Wednesday
Thursday I had book club, Friday was the Pink PJ party, Saturday we took Valerie out for her birthday dinner and then Sunday I finally cooked!!!  

I've been making this soup for years and in 2013 my friend Sherrie Yeager served it at her house and I asked her for the recipe.   She got it out for me to see.........I had sent it to her in 2001!!!!   So, it's an oldie but a goodie!!!

1 lb Italian sausage ~ brown in 1 tsp olive oil
While browning add in 1 c. chopped onions
3 garlic cloves, crushed
Saute all well
When done, add in
3 c. water
3 Tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp basil
3 cans (16 oz) chicken broth
14.5 oz can diced tomatoes - undrained
Boil, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes

Stir in:
1/2 c wild rice ~ cooked according to directions
3 c. torn spinach  (I usually just use a frozen package)
salt & pepper

Ladle soup into bowls and sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese

This is adapted from a Cooking Light magazine from 2000.
Calories:  161
Fat  5.9 g

Sunday - Lamb chops with a white bean puree. Delicious!! Just coated the lamb with rosemary and garlic mixture and cooked in cast iron skillet.

Monday - I have a dinner to go to so Mark is on his own.

Tuesday - Crock pot beef stroganoff  . . . took this from my archives. . . . this is your recipe. Roasted brussel sprouts.

Wednesday - I have a soup mix called eleven bean soup mix to make.

Rest of the week - TBA

Pork Tacos

Thursday:   Ribs   (I just put a dry rub on them and baked in oven)  

Friday:  your Spinach Stuffed Chicken - yumbo jumbo!!!

Saturday:  Pork Tacos

Sunday:  Your Chicken & Sausage Gumbo (recipe from Heaven on Seven)   

SO.........we have lots of leftovers for this coming busy week!!!

Pork Tacos

In large bowl

1  1/2 Tbsp chili powder

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp oregano

1/4 tsp cumin

1/8 tsp pepper

pinch cinnamon AND allspice

Add  

1 1/2 lb pork tenderloin ~ cut into cubes

1 medium white onion ~ diced

2 Tbsp cider vinegar

1/4 c cilantro

Heat large skillet

3 Tbsp olive oil

Add pork mixture and cook until browned and done.   

(I did all that and then put in oven to stay warm until dinner)  

Right before serving sprinkle with 

1 c shredded mozzarella

1 Tbsp chopped cilantro

Serve with warm tortillas, mashed avocado, lettuce, salsa and lime wedges.   

Wednesday - Bunco FREE night!!!

Thursday - Parmesan chicken with greens and vinaigrette

Friday - Bowling which means pizza and beer. Meredith and Ryan are subbing for Ann and Dave so this should be fun!!

Sweet Potato Hash with Caramelized Onions, Sausage & Eggs

Saturday a friend hosted brunch at her house. She served this minus the eggs. It was DELICIOUS!!!
I'm going to make it with the eggs for tomorrow night. YUM!!

Sweet Potato Hash with Caramelized Onions, Sausage & Eggs

Serves 8

2 pounds yellow onions (about 2 large)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 pound fresh Italian sausage or chorizo
3 pounds sweet potatoes (about 3 large potatoes, ideally organic)
6 large garlic cloves
2 long stems fresh rosemary
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more to taste if necessary
Freshly ground black pepper

To serve:
8 or more large eggs
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Parmesan cheese, to serve

To make the hash: Heat the oven to 450°F. Peel the onions and cut them in half lengthwise, then cut them into thin half-moons. Cut the half-moons in half. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. When it foams up add the onions and sprinkle lightly with salt. (Don't worry if they are crammed into the pan; they will rapidly cook down.) Lower the heat slightly and cook the onions for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, and lowering the heat further if they seem to be burning. Cook them until they are very dark brown and caramelized.

Meanwhile, put the sausage in another skillet and brown over medium-high heat, chopping it up into fine crumbles with a spatula. Cook the sausage for about 10 minutes, or until browned and beginning to crisp. Drain away any excess fat.

While the onions and sausage are cooking, chop the unpeeled sweet potatoes into cubes that are about 1/2-inch to a side. Finely mince the garlic and rosemary leaves, and toss them in a large bowl with the sweet potatoes. Toss with the olive oil, kosher salt, and a generous helping of black pepper.

When the onions are dark brown and the sausage is beginning to get crispy, stir these into the sweet potatoes as well. Line a large baking sheet with foil or parchment paper, and spread out the sweet potato mixture evenly. Roast the sweet potatoes for 30 to 45 minutes (roasting time depends on the size and uniformity of the sweet potato chunks, as well as the variety of sweet potato you buy) or until they are soft and browned.

If not serving immediately, cool the hash and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

To serve: Heat the oven to 425°F. Spread a relatively thin layer of the (already cooked) sweet potato hash in a baking dish, such as a cast iron skillet or a 9x13-inch baking dish. You can also bake in individual ramekins. Make small wells in the sweet potatoes and crack in large eggs. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.

Bake for 10 to 20 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are hot and the eggs are baked through. (Test the eggs by prodding them with a fork to check the firmness of the white and the yolk; baked eggs are deceptive in that the white often looks much less cooked than it really is.)

Serve immediately, with shavings or sprinkles of Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Recipe Notes

• Alternate Method: Some of the commenters felt that roasting the sweet potatoes with the cooked sausage made the sausage too crispy and even a bit burnt. Personally, I like the sausage very crispy and dark, and I also like the flavor of the sweet potatoes when they're cooked with the sausage. But this is up to you — you can roast the sweet potatoes separately while cooking the sausage and onions, which also speeds up the cooking process.
• Make-Ahead Notes: You can cook the sausage and onions a day ahead of time and refrigerate or even freeze them until you are ready to cook the sweet potatoes.

 

Vegetable Fried Rice

Tonight we're having your Mongolian Beef and Vegetable Fried Rice - I'm looking forward to dinner!!

Vegetable Fried Rice

 

2 teaspoons dark sesame oil

3/4 cup sliced shiitake mushrooms

1/2 cup matchstick-cut carrots

1/2 cup sliced green onions

2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic

1/4 teaspoon pepper

4 cups chilled cooked brown rice

1 large egg, lightly beaten

2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

1 tablespoon water

3 tablespoons dry white wine

1/3 cup frozen green peas – I’m using sugar snap peas

 

Heat sesame oil in a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add mushrooms and next 4 ingredients; stir-fry until tender. Add cooked rice; stir-fry 2 minutes. Push rice mixture to sides of pan, forming a well in center. Add egg to center of pan, and let cook 30 seconds; toss with rice, and stir-fry until egg is cooked. Stir in soy sauce and remaining ingredients; cook until thoroughly heated.

 

Turkey Tetrazzini

This week I'm cleaning out the fridge!   Sunday we had leftover Cubano Soup and tonight leftover meatball casserole.    Monday night I pulled out of the freezer a small pan of Turkey Tetrazzini.   I made it with leftover turkey from Thanksgiving!  Sandra Morgan gave me the recipe years ago.   It's really yummy and good to have some of and good to put some in the freezer for another time, like I did this night!!   I didn't do the bread cubes

2/3 cup Miracle Whip   ( I use Mayo)                         

1/3 cup flour    

1/2 t salt   

Dash of pepper  

2 1/2 cups milk

7 ounces. spaghetti, cooked & drained

2 cups chopped cooked turkey  

3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

1- 4 oz. can mushrooms, drained

 2 T chopped pimiento

2 cups bread cubes                                  

1/4 cup butter-melted

Combine salad dressing, flour and seasonings; gradually add milk.  Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened.  Add spaghetti, turkey, 1/2 cup cheese, mushrooms and pimiento; mix lightly.  Pour into 2 quart casserole.  Top with bread cubed tossed with butter and remaining cheese.  Bake at 350, 40 minutes.

6 servings

Roast Chicken with Spinach Cheese Stuffing

This is YOUR recipe and you made it last week but I think it's important that it's on the blog!!!!!  
So I am posting it........please check for accuracy!!  

2 chicken leg quarters  (OR thighs with skin)  
10 oz. frozen chopped spinach
1/4 c. sour cream
1/4 c. shredded Parmesan cheese
1/4 c. shredded Swiss cheese
2 Tbsp bread crumbs
1 egg
1/4 tsp each salt and pepper
2 Tbsp butter, melted
Hot cooked rice

Dry chicken.  Carefully push hand between skin and meat to loosen and form a pocket.
Cook spinach, cool and drain well.
Combine spinach, sour cream, cheeses, bread crumbs, egg and salt & pepper.
Stir well.
Working carefully to keep skin from tearing, press spinach mixture between skin and meat.

Brush a 9" square pan with part of the melted butter
Roast chicken at 350 degrees basting frequently for 1 hour or until chicken is golden brown and leg joints move easily

Serve over hot rice.

Serves 2