Classic Sausage and Mushroom Stuffing

I think one of my favorite things about Thanksgiving dinner is the stuffing. I crave it through out the year. In my family growing up we always had Stove Top...easy and when you have a large family quick and easy is what you do. I married a man whose mother cooked from scratch and made homemade stuffing and even stuffed the bird.... I admit... I had never seen a stuffed turkey until I got married. I don't stuff the turkey anymore but was always looking for ways to up my recipe... meaning up the flavor.... I loved this recipe... will keep for my go to from now on. You could omit the sausage if you like but I LOVED the mushrooms and other flavors. and put any little tweak on it you like. I don't quite use that much butter since the sausage has some fat in it....

Classic Sausage and Mushroom Stuffing

¾ cup (1½ sticks) butter, cut into pieces, divided, plus more

10 cups coarsely torn sourdough bread, dried out overnight (I dried mine in the oven at about 200 degrees until dried out)
3 tablespoons olive oil
12 ounces hot or sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
2 onions, chopped
4 celery stalks, chopped
1 small container of sliced mushrooms, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons  a mix of fresh chopped sage, rosemary and Thyme ) or 1 to 2 teaspoons dried)
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
½ cup dry white wine
2 large eggs, beaten to blend
2 cups turkey or chicken stock (preferably homemade), plus more

To make the stuffing:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a shallow 3-qt. baking dish and set aside.
• Place bread in a large bowl.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add sausage and cook, stirring occasionally and breaking into small pieces with a spatula, until browned and cooked through, 7–10 minutes. Transfer to a plate lined with a paper towel to drain the grease. Then add to the bowl  with bread.
• Add Mushrooms to the skillet with the sausage fat and saute for 3 to 5 minutes until golden brown and the liquid has evaporated (may take a little longer depending on your mushrooms. 
• Then, add onions, celery, and herbs to skillet, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring often, until onions are golden brown and soft, 8 to 10 minutes longer. Transfer to bowl with bread.
• Reduce heat to medium and cook wine in skillet, scraping up any browned bits, until almost all evaporated, about 1 minute. Add ½ cup butter; cook, stirring, until melted. Drizzle over bread mixture.
• Whisk eggs and 2 cups stock in a medium bowl; pour over bread mixture. Season with salt and pepper and toss, adding more stock ¼-cupful at a time as needed (you may not use it all), until combined and bread is hydrated. Transfer to prepared baking dish and dot with remaining ¼ cup butter.
• Cover with foil sprayed with non-stick cooking spray ; bake for about 30–35 minutes.  Increase oven temperature to 450°. Uncover and bake until top is golden brown and crisp, 20–25 minutes. Let sit 10 minutes before serving.
• Enjoy!

Chicken and Artichoke Parmesan Casserole

I always love trying out new recipes, I got my latest food network magazine and this recipe was in it and of course I had to try it. I tweaked it here and there for my tastes and with what I had on hand.  You can find the original recipe here.  I also am trying to eat healthier since losing 25 pounds so I served this on spaghetti squash. To do that preheat your oven to 350 and cut your spaghetti squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place cut side down on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for about 30 minutes or so until tender when poked with a fork. Turn over and cook a couple of minutes longer. Remove from oven and shred with a fork.  Yummy! 

Chicken and Artichoke Parmesan Casserole

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 10 -ounce package frozen artichoke hearts, thawed

1/4 to 1/2 cup sliced roasted red bell peppers (that you buy in the jar)

1 clove garlic, chopped

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 28 -ounce can crushed tomatoes, 

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

3 cups chopped rotisserie chicken (skin removed)

1/4 cup fresh basil, roughly chopped, (I used 1 heaping Tablespoon of the minced Basil in the tube you can find in the produce section at Walmart)

1 small container Ricotta cheese 

2 Tablespoons melted butter

1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs

1/2 cup Panko crumbs

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Cooked spaghetti or spaghetti squash for serving.

Directions:

Preheat the broiler.

 Heat the olive oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the artichokes and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and browned in spots, about 5 minutes. Add the roasted red bell pepper slices, garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring, until the garlic is soft, about 30 seconds.

Add the tomatoes, 1 cup water, 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper to the skillet. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens, about 10 minutes. Stir in the chicken and basil; season with salt.

Dollop the ricotta cheese over the chicken artichoke mixture in the skillet by teaspoons full. Use as much as you like. I used about 1/2 of a small container.

Combine the two breadcrumbs together with 2 tablespoons melted butter. Sprinkle the crumbs over the chicken mixture and top with the grated parmesan.

Transfer the skillet to the broiler and cook until the breadcrumbs are browned and the cheese is bubbling, 3 to 5 minutes. Let cool, 5 minutes. Served over Cooked Spaghetti or if you like cooked Spaghetti Squash. Enjoy!

Baked Penne Pasta with Roasted Tomatoes

Isn't Autumn time the perfect time to start making casseroles again... Love casseroles, especially with pasta. Nothing spells 'comfort food' to me better than a pasta dish.... I ran across this recipe on the Internet (probably pinterest) and since it had Zucchini in it which I had from my garden that I needed to use up, I thought I'd give it a try. The original recipe is here but as usual I tweaked it a bit. It calls for canned fire roasted tomatoes, but I had a ton just harvested from my garden so I put about 6 larger Roma tomatoes on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and roasted for 20 minutes at 375 degrees. I let them cool and then diced them in my food processor. YUM! But feel free to use the canned tomatoes called for :) This was a YUMMO casserole and since it has lots of veggies already in it, I served with a crusty french bread. Enjoy!

Baked Penne Pasta with Roasted Tomatoes

1  to 2 pounds lean ground beef (I like lots of hamburger in this... I think I used 1-1/2 pounds)

1 large onion, diced

2 teaspoons minced garlic (or 2 cloves, finely chopped)

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 medium zucchini, cut in half lengthwise then sliced 1/4 inch thick

1/2 jar Paul Newman's Sockarooni Spaghetti Sauce (LOVE this sauce! you can freeze the rest for use in something else later) or you can use 1 (15 oz can) regular tomato sauce)

1 (14-1/2 oz) can fire roasted tomatoes (or your own tomatoes--see notes above)

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried parsley

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

8 ounces Penne pasta (or any kind of pasta you like- about 3 cups dried)

1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Spray a 2 quart rectangular glass baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
Cook pasta according to package directions, drain, and set aside
In a large skillet, cook beef, onion, garlic and bell pepper over medium heat stirring frequently, until beef is browned and cooked through. Add Zucchini and cook for 2 to 3 minutes longer.
Stir in tomatoes, Sockarooni sauce, oregano, basil, parsley and salt and pepper. Heat to boiling.

Toss pasta into your sauce mixture. Spread in baking dish, cover with foil, and bake for 20 minutes.

 Uncover and sprinkle with cheese. Bake for 5 more minutes or until cheese is melted.
Enjoy!

**you can add roasted jalapenos or green chili's for a little more kick if desired. I had roasted jalapeno's from my garden so I chopped 2 or 3 up and threw in along with the green pepper. Or you can add a small can of diced green chili's.

Chicken Lasagna Roll Ups with Spinach and Artichokes

I love Lasagna... and when I ran across this recipe here I had to give it a try. I tweaked it a bit to suit my taste and craving I was having at the moment by adding chicken and using Alfredo sauce on the bottom instead of all Marinara sauce. YUM! The only thing was I had to use a bigger pan than a 9x13, or you could use 2 baking pans... just divide the sauce up between the two. I served mine with a green salad and crispy french bread...Enjoy!

Chicken Lasagna Roll Ups with Spinach and Artichokes

• Ingredients:
• 12 lasagna noodles
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups low fat ricotta cheese, 
• 1 large egg
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 10-ounces frozen spinach, thawed, drained, and squeeze to remove water
• 1 cup chopped canned or jarred artichoke hearts
• 1 heaping cup chopped, cooked chicken
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• Pinch of nutmeg
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 2 cups of your favorite Marinara sauce ( or use mine here) 
• 2 cups of your favorite Alfredo Sauce (or use mine here)

1. Directions:
2. 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the salt and cook the lasagna noodles to al dente, according to package directions (about 12 minutes). Drain and carefully lay the lasagna noodles out flat on a large piece of parchment paper. Let sit to cool.
3. 2. In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, egg, garlic, spinach, artichoke hearts, cooked chicken, Parmesan cheese, basil, crushed red pepper, and nutmeg. Stir until well combined. Season with salt and pepper.
4. 3. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray. Pour the Alfredo sauce on  the bottom  of the baking dish and spread to cover the bottom. Set aside.
5. 4. Dived the Ricotta mixture evenly among the noodles by taking about 1/4 cup and spreading it  onto each lasagna noodle if there is some leftover add to each each noodle until it's gone. Top each noodle with 2 tablespoons of mozzarella cheese and 2 tablespoons of marinara sauce. Carefully roll the noodles up and place them in the prepared pan on top of the Alfredo sauce. Top the lasagna rolls with the  marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese. Spray a large sheet of foil with cooking spray and cover the pan.
6. 5. Place the pan in the oven and bake for 35 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted on top. Remove from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes. Serve warm.
7. Note: To prepare the lasagna rolls in advance, roll them up, add the sauce and cheese and cover with foil and place in the fridge until ready to bake. I've made them a day before baking and they were still great. To freeze, bake and let cool to room temperature. Place in a freezer container and freeze. Reheat in the microwave. You can place a whole pan in the freezer and heat back up in the oven, but I like to freeze the rolls in individual servings for easy lunches and dinners.

Green Bean Casserole with Homemade Mushroom Gravy

I made this Green Bean Casserole for Thanksgiving dinner, after all you can't have Thanksgiving without green bean casserole. I hadn't made the regular Green bean casserole very often just because it was lacking something, so when I saw this on Guy Fieri's Food Network show, I had to give it a try. I did tweak it a bit, I added bacon.... bacon is good in anything isn't it? Andrew had had green beans with bacon at one place that he worked, he still talks about those, so that's what gave me the inspiration to try it here. I also just used regular button mushrooms, YUM! Even my Mother-in-law said that the Green Bean casserole was excellent. (I love my Mother-in-law, she isn't like the typical mother-in-law that you hear bad things about, she's easy to get along with and talk to, I just threw that in there because it seems most people aren't as lucky as me! ) I'm posting this recipe  because I thought some of you might want to give it a try for Christmas. Enjoy!

Green Bean Casserole with Homemade Mushroom Gravy
Ingredients:
6 slices thick, smoked peppered bacon
1- 1/2 pounds green beans, trimmed (I used fresh from the produce department, they have them bagged and trimmed already to go by the bagged salads!)
Salt and ground black pepper
2 tablespoons butter
1 pound mushrooms, cleaned and sliced,
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon cayenne powder
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup cream
1/4 cup grated Parmesan

1 small container french fried onions
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Slice the bacon into bite size pieces. Heat a large skillet over medium heat, when hot, add the bacon and cook, stirring occasionally until cooked and crispy. While your bacon is cooking, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the green beans and cook until they just turn bright green, 2 to 3 minutes. (You don't want to cook the green beans through as they will cook in the oven also.) Strain and plunge the green beans immediately in a large bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. When cool, drain and set out to dry on paper towels.
When your bacon is done, remove with a slotted spoon to a paper towel lined plate, set aside. If there is a lot of bacon grease in the skillet drain, leaving about a 1 Tablespoon in the skillet and add the butter; once the butter is melted add the mushrooms. Cook undisturbed so the mushrooms sear nicely, about 1 minute. Add the thyme and garlic and continue cooking the mushrooms to achieve some nice color. Season with the salt, pepper, cayenne and nutmeg. Cook 2 to 3 more minutes longer, dusting the mushrooms with some of the flour as they release moisture. Stir with a whisk to incorporate the flour (just like making a roux) and gradually add in the chicken stock. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat and add the sour cream and cream. Stir gently and cook over low heat until gravy thickens, 5 to 6 minutes. (Be careful not to boil to hard or the cream mixture will separate and curdle)  Add the blanched green beans and bacon to the pan and fold together so everything is mixed well.
Pour into a 13x9 baking dish, spread out evenly in the dish. Sprinkle the green beans with the grated Parmesan bake until the casserole is bubbly and the top is melted and golden, 15 minutes. Top with french fried onions and continue to cook for about 5 to 10 more minutes. Enjoy!

Chicken Spaghetti Casserole

I've had this recipe for years!! Back when I worked at the Bakery, a friend I worked with made and brought this into share with all of us! It was delicious! Can you believe I haven't made it at home till now??? The recipe my friend gave was HUGE!!! Enough for 2 big casserole pans full, so when I saw The Pioneer Woman make a similar recipe on the Food Network I had to dig out my recipe and compare. They were similar, some things I liked more about my friends recipe and some I used from The Pioneer Woman's. This was a delicious casserole and since the weather is getting chillier, this would make a great dinner paired with steamed garden veggies and crusty french bread. Enjoy!!

Chicken Spaghetti Casserole
Servings: 6 to 8
Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 of a 1- pound package spaghetti noddles, broken into 3rd's (maybe slightly more than a half a box)
1 can cream of chicken or mushroom soup (which ever you have on hand)
1 can of Rico's Condensed Aged Cheddar Cheese Sauce (see photo below)
1 can Ro-tel Tomatoes with green chilies with juice
1/4 cup finely diced green pepper
1/4 cup finely diced red bell pepper
1 medium onion, finely diced
1 or 2 stalks celery, diced
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon Lawry's seasoned salt
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or a little more if you like it spicy)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 to 2  cups chicken broth (use the broth you cook your chicken and spaghetti in)
1 to 2 cups grated Cheddar cheese (depending on how cheesy you want it)

Directions
Cook your chicken by bringing a large pot of water to a boil. I like to add a piece of onion, 1/2 of a celery stalk, and a teaspoon of minced garlic to mine (makes yummy broth) Add the chicken pieces to the boiling water and boil for a few minutes, then return the heat to medium-low and simmer for about 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.  Remove the chicken from the pot, strain the broth and put back in the pot (be careful, it's hot!) When the chicken is cool, chop into bite size pieces and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large, deep skillet, drizzle a tablespoon or two of Olive oil and heat over medium high heat. Add the celery, bell peppers, and onion and saute until crunchy tender (about 7 to10 minutes)
While the veggies are cooking, cook the spaghetti in the same chicken cooking broth until al dente. Do not overcook (about 7 to 9 minutes depending on how thick your spaghetti is). Save the broth, you will use a little later in your casserole,.
When the veggies are crunchy tender, add the minced garlic and stir for another minute. Then add the chicken or mushroom soup, the Cheese sauce (found in the Mexican food section of most grocery stores)

and  the Rotel tomatoes with juice, seasoned salt, cayenne, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Stir in 1 cup of the chicken cooking broth, adding  a little more  if needed. (you can freeze the leftover broth to make soup with later) Add your cooked and drained spaghetti noodles and about 1 cup grated cheese into this mixtureif desired, stir to combine.
Place the mixture into a a 13x9 casserole dish that has been sprayed with a non-stick cooking spray. Top with the remaining grated cheese. Bake until hot and bubbly, and 30 to 40 minutes. *if the cheese on top starts to get too brown, cover with a sheet of aluminum foil.

Serve with crusty french bread and steamed veggies! Enjoy!

Shepherds Pie

Can you believe I haven't made Shepherd's Pie before??? at least that I can remember, I think I tried once in my early years of marriage but we didn't like it so I never attempted it again. In December during all the hustle and bustle of the season and my cake making I wanted something fast and comforting. I also had a bunch of leftover mashed potatoes from a Sunday pot roast dinner that I needed to use up and decided to give this another chance. I looked up recipes off the Internet, some were made with tomato sauce and others with cream of mushroom soup. I took what I liked about both varieties and this is what I came up with. It was just what I needed!! YUM!

Shepherds Pie
1-1/2 pounds ground beef
1/2 medium-size onion, chopped
1 teaspoon minced garlic
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup water
1 pint green beans, drained (canned or frozen (about 1 1/2 cups) will work, I just had some home canned beans, if using frozen be sure they are thawed and drained)
1 cup frozen peas, thawed and drained
1 cup frozen diced carrots, thawed and drained
Leftover mashed potatoes (about 3 cups or so.. you want enough to cover the top of a 9x13 casserole dish)
1/4 cup milk (optional... I used it to thin out my potatoes a little)
Lawry's Seasoned Salt (to taste)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Brown the ground beef, onions, and garlic in a large skillet, season with Salt and Pepper to suit your taste ( I always like to season my beef as it's browning). Once the hamburger is browned, drain off any grease.
Next add the cream of mushroom soup, Worcestershire sauce, and water, stirring to incorporate all together, taste and add more salt and pepper if needed. Then add in the beans, peas, and carrots, stirring to combine. Place this mixture in a 9x13 baking dish. Set aside.
In a large bowl place your leftover potatoes and the 1/4 cup of milk if needed, use less if your mashed potatoes are spreadable. Season with a little Lawry's seasoned salt to taste, then stir in your grated cheese (use as much cheese as you like, you could save some to sprinkle on the top if desired.)
Spread your mashed potato mixture over the top of your burger mixture by placing dollops of the mixture atop the casserole then spreading smooth with a knife or back of your spoon.
Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes or until potatoes start to turn a golden brown. Enjoy!!

**I just threw this together using what I had when it came to vegetables and mashed potatoes, I didn't really follow any recipe. Feel free to add more or less of whatever you like. I've also seen this made with tater tots used on the top instead of mashed potatoes and the cheese is just sprinkled on top of those. I liked the cheese incorporated into the mashed potato layer but it could just be sprinkled on the top. This is ultimate comfort food if you ask me!

Bow-tie Lasagna

Lately the weather has just had a "fallish" feel to it... it seems the minute the calendar turns to August and they get school supplies back in the stores, fall is just in the air. I came home from work craving something with pasta and cheese in it, and all I had thawed out was hamburger. So I began to browse my favorite food blogs and of course! I found just what I was looking for on the Pioneer Woman's blog.... but I tweaked it just a bit... I will post what my recipe ended up being  here but if you want to see the original recipe go to this link http://tastykitchen.com/recipes/ then type in bow tie lasagna in the search. This is just what I was hungry for and was easy and pretty quick to make. I served mine with sauteed zucchini and Sizzler toast!(see earlier posts) yum!! When I think of Fall I think of Casseroles, and comfort food and this was just what I needed (except the for second helping I ate... not sure if I needed that!) but it was YUMMO!

Bow-tie Lasagna

4 cups uncooked Bow-Tie Pasta
1-1/2 pounds ground beef
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1/2 medium onion, diced
1 heaping teaspoon minced garlic, (or 1 large garlic clove, minced.. I used the already minced in a jar)
1 jar Newman's Own 'Sock-a-rooni' Spaghetti Sauce (or your favorite jarred/canned Marinara Sauce you need about 3 cups)
1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning (or more to suit your taste... or you can use fresh basil leaves, fresh thyme, and rosemary like I did if you have it)
1 teaspoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 to 1/2  teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional.. I like a slight spicy kick to my lasagna)
½  (15-oz) carton ricotta Cheese (**see note below)
½ cups Mozzarella Cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
Preparation Instructions:
Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, brown ground beef in a large, deep skillet along with the diced onion and garlic.

When browned, drain excess fat from the beef and add your spaghetti sauce
and seasonings and let simmer for about 5 to 10 minutes so the seasonings can disperse into the sauce. Then stir in your ricotta and mozzarella cheese, stirring to combine.
Drain your pasta and add to the sauce mixture. Toss to coat the pasta and let cook about 3 to 5 minutes more so the cheese can melt. Top with the Parmesan Cheese and Serve! Yummo!

**I always use Ricotta cheese in my lasagna so I used it in this as well so it tasted more like my lasagna. The Pioneer Woman used 1/2 cup Sour Cream instead, use what suits your taste.

Turkey Jambalaya

I love this recipe for Turkey Jambalaya. I had posted this recipe when I first started my blog, but I made it the other night and revamped it a little by adding the beans, green chili's , and red bell peppers. This is a great way to use up left over turkey, I had some leftover smoked turkey from Sunday and used it instead of the chicken in this recipe. It turned out Yummo!

Turkey Jambalaya

1 package smoked turkey sausage (or polska Kelbasa)(Those horseshoe shaped links)
2 cups diced cooked chicken (or left over turkey)
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 medium onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1 small can diced green chili's
3 cloves of garlic, minced (about 1 Tablespoon already minced)

1 (14.5) can italian-style diced tomatoes, UNdrained
1 (15 oz.) can red beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 cups uncooked long-grain white rice
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoons worcestershire Sauce
2 teaspoons Cajun Seasoning (I use Tony Chachere's)
Pepper and salt to taste.

Saute Turkey sausage and vegis in large fry pan for 3 to 5 minutes. Then add tomatoes, beans,  broth, rice, bay leaf, Worcestershire sauce,seasoning and chicken. Mix well, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium low, cover and simmer until rice is tender, about 30 minutes.
Serve with crispy french bread and a salad! YUMMO!!!

I've added sliced carrots too, with the vegis. And sometimes for more heat.. I add a little cayenne pepper, and smoked paprika.

This goes great with salad and crusty french bread!! And it's a good way to use Turkey leftovers!

Tortellini Minestrone Casserole



I saw this recipe on the Betty Crocker recipe site and it looked way yummo so I had to give it a try!! I love easy casseroles on a cold day after working all day. This was way easy to throw together, but it does bake for about an hour, so be sure to plan for that.  When it was done it was on the runnyside, and I almost didn't post it, but the flavor was delicious and my family ate the entire casserole!! I think if you let it set for about 5 to 10 minutes before serving maybe some of the juice will soak up into the tortellini's a bit. It reminded me of the Italian sausage Tortellini soup that I have on my blog, but a little different, more veggies and no, it wasn't THAT soupy. I even had to sneak some to put in Jim's lunch for the next day before it was all gone! I did change it up from the original recipe, I didn't add any extra water like the recipe calls for, and I added the hot sausauge. I would serve this with a garden salad and crusty french bread to soak up the juice! Enjoy!! (also we had eaten the whole casserole before I remembered to take a picture of mine, so the picture above is borrowed from the Betty Crocker site) :o)

Tortellini Minestrone Casserole
1 (1lb) package Jimmy Dean HOT sausage
1 package (9 oz) Buitoni refrigerated three-cheese tortellini
1 bag (12 oz)frozen Birdseye Italian Blend Steam fresh vegetables
1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes with basil, garlic and oregano, undrained
1 can (15 oz) great northern beans, rinsed, drained **see note below
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce with basil, garlic and oregano
Dash or two of salt and pepper
1/2 cup grated Mozzerella cheese
1/4 cup shredded fresh Parmesan cheese

Heat oven to 375°F.
Remove sausage from package and brown in a medium skillet. Drain off the fat.
In ungreased 13 x 9 glass baking dish, mix all ingredients except cheese. Yes, just throw everything into your casserole dish, veggies still frozen, and your tortellini right out of the package, see how easy?? (your Tortellini will cook while baking) Stir around a little bit, and cover with foil.
Bake 45 minutes. Uncover and stir well. Sprinkle with both cheeses. Bake uncovered 10 to 15 minutes longer or until center is hot and cheese is golden brown.
Makes  about 4 servings (about 1 1/2 cups each)

**for more color, you can substitute  red kidney beans or Cannellini beans are a good substitute for great northern beans too.

"Ghoul"ash" or after Halloween "Chili-mac"

This is a yummy skillet dinner that I always have called Goulash or since it's Halloween "Ghoul"ash. Whatever you call it, it's easy and my kids always liked it. This recipe came out of my Better Homes and Garden cookbook, and of course I tweaked it a bit for my taste.

Goulash or Chili-Mac

1  1/2 pounds ground beef

1 medium onion diced

1 teaspoon minced garlic
1- 15oz. can diced tomatoes (don't drain, need the juice so the macaroni will cook)
1- 8oz. can tomatoe sauce

1-15 oz. can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 cup elbow macaroni
1-4oz. can diced green chili's

2 to 3 teaspoons chili powder

1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup grated cheese (I like colby jack or pepper jack)

In a large skillet, cook beef and onions until meat is brown and onions are tender. Drain off fat.
Stir in garlic, tomato sauce, tomatoes, beans, uncooked macaroni, green chili's, chili powder, and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover with lid, and simmer for 20 minutes or until macaroni is tender; stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with cheese. Cover and let sit for about 2 minutes more or until cheese melts.

Makes about 6 servings.
I like to serve with steamed veggies and warm french bread. Enjoy!!

Chinese Hamburger Casserole

This is another comfort food for me. Mom used to make it all the time when I was young. Dad loved it too, he used to call it "Idiot Casserole" because it was sooo easy even an idiot could make it. That always made me smile.  I serve with homemade rolls and steamed veggies... Yummo!

Chinese Hamburger Casserole

1 1/2 pounds Hamburger
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic (or one clove, minced)
2 or 3 stalks of cellery, sliced thin
1 can cream of celery soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can water (with soup)
2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
1/2 cup long grain rice
Salt and pepper to taste
1 package chinese noodles

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Brown hamburger and vegetables in a large skillet, season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper. While hamburger cooks, heat 1 and 1/2 cups water in a small saucepan, when boiling add the 1/2 cup rice and cook for 10 minutes.
When hambuger is browned, drain off fat. Add the soup, the can of water, soy sauce and cooked rice with remaining liquid that's in it. Stir to combine. Taste the sauce at this point to see if you need more salt and pepper.
Pour into a 13x9 casserole dish. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for about 40 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle chinese noodles over the top. Continue baking for another 15 minutes.

Let rest for about 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Mom B's Chicken Casserole

This recipe has to be one of the best comfort foods I know. My mom would make this when I was growing up, and whenever I make it, it reminds me of home. Yum!! Serve with fresh baked bread and it doesn't get any better!!!



Mom B's Chicken Casserole
 1 onion, chopped
1 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup dice carrots
1/2 cup uncooked rice
2 cups chicken broth
4 cups cooked chicken, diced
1 4-ounce can sliced mushrooms
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup mayonaise
 grated cheese for topping
1 to 2 cups breadcrumbs (depending on whether you are using a round or rectangle casserole dish)
1/4 cup melted butter

Boil chicken in water with boullion and a little onion ,celery. salt and pepper for an hour(adding a piece of onion and celery makes yummy chicken broth.) Let cool and de-bone and cut up.
Cook onion, celery, and carrots in 1 cup broth in a small saucepan. In another small sauce pan, cook the 1/2 cup rice in the other cup of broth . Cook both the veggies and rice for 10 minutes. While that is cooking, mix the soup, and mayo together, then add the chicken and mushrooms. Salt and pepper to taste. When veggies and rice have cooked for 10 minutes, stir into the soup mixture. Pour into a 2 quart casserole dish  that was sprayed with Pam.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, then top with cheese. I usually mix the melted butter with bread crumbs and add after the cheese. Bake an additional 5 to 10 minutes until cheese is melty and breadcrumbs are a golden brown.
Serve with warm bread and enjoy!!  Tastes like home!!