Cheesy Sausage Hash

A good one dish recipe that comes together quickly.  This recipe makes a lot.  However, it can be easily halved.  Or double it if feeding a large crowd.  The addition of carrots and spinach are a sneaking way of adding some vitamins to an otherwise meat and potatoes dish.

1 lb. Ground Sausage
½ C. Onion, chopped
6 C. frozen Potatoes, cubed
2 C. Monterey Jack Cheese
½ tsp. Celery Seed
1 C. frozen Spinach, chopped
3 Carrots, shredded
Red Pepper Flakes, (optional)

In large skillet cook sausage with onion, carrots and celery seed over medium heat until sausage is browned. Add potatoes and spinach. If you want a spicier dish, add the red pepper flakes. Cook until potatoes are tender and starting to brown. Top with the cheese. Cover with a lid 3 – 5 minutes to help the cheese melt.

Chicken with Almonds and Chow Mein Noodles

This is one of the first meals that my son made when he was first starting to learn how to cook around the age of ten.  He picked the recipe out of the cookbook and was responsible for the whole meal, from making sure that we had the ingredients and prepping the vegetables to checking the dish once the timer sounded on the oven.  If you let kids in the kitchen and let them help, they will try such a greater range of foods that they might otherwise turn down. 

3 chicken breast, cooked and chopped
2 C. Celery, diced
1 C. Carrots, shredded
1 C. Bell Pepper (red and green), diced
8 oz. Canned Mushrooms, sliced
2/3 C. Almonds, sliced
1 can, Cream of Chicken Soup
1 can, Cream of Mushroom Soup
Chow Mein Noodles

In large bowl, stir together all ingredients except chow mein noodles. Transfer to a baking dish. Cover the dish with aluminum foil. Bake for 30 – 45 minutes until hot. Remove foil and top with noodles. Return to oven and bake, uncovered, for 5 – 10 minutes.   

Bobotie

Bobotie is the national dish of South Africa.  It is the accumulation of many different influences that have passed through that region over the years.  Tamarind can be hard to find.  Look for it in an international store or the international aisles in the bigger supermarkets.  It has a flavor that is truly unique.  Like a traditional meatloaf, this meal has many variations, so feel free to substitute ingredients. 

 



2 Oz. Tamarind Paste

2 Slices White Bread, torn

½ c. Whole Milk

2 Lb. Ground Beef

¼ C. Almonds, sliced

3 Tbsp. Golden Raisins

3 Eggs

2 Tbsp. Butter

2 Lg. Yellow Onions, chopped

3 Garlic Cloves, chopped

2 Tbsp. Curry

1 Tbsp. Sugar

2 Tbsp. Lemon Juice

Mix tamarind with ½ C. water.  Set aside.  In large bowl, soak the bread with ¼ C milk.  Heat butter in skillet.  Sauté onions and garlic.  When onions are just beginning to soften, add the curry and sugar.  Cook on medium heat for 5 minutes.  Add beef to skillet.  Cook until beef is done and browned, breaking up into small pieces.  Transfer to bowl with the bread.  Add the tamarind, lemon juice, raisins and 3 Tbsp. almonds.  Season with salt and pepper.  Let cool slightly.  Add 2 eggs, slightly beaten.  Mix well.  Transfer to a 9” deep pie plate.  Press down meat mixture to compact.  In bowl, whisk egg and remaining milk.  Season with salt and pepper.  Pour on top.  Sprinkle top with remaining almonds.  Bake about 30 minutes, until egg is set and cooked through.  Let cool 10 minutes before slicing.

Spinach Lasagna With Italian Sausage

This uses the same cheese filling that is in the spinach rolls.  Make sure that the spinach is wrung dry between two towels to try get out as much liquid as possible. 

 

Sauce:
1 pd. Italian sausage
1 onion chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 c. olive oil
3 (15oz) cans Italian diced tomatoes
2 (8oz) cans tomato sauce
6 oz cans tomato paste
2 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp dried basil
2 bay leaf

Cheese Filling:
16 oz container ricotta cheese
2 eggs
20-oz package frozen spinach, drained well
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp dried basil
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Other:
4 cups mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
cooked lasagna noodles

To prepare sauce:
Heat olive oil in skillet and sauté onions, and garlic until softened. Add Italian sausage and cook, breaking up into small pieces. Once cooked, add tomatoes, tomato paste and sauce, oregano, basil, salt, pepper, bay leaf. Simmer on low until thick. Season with salt and pepper.

 

To prepare filling:

Add ricotta cheese, cooked drained spinach, eggs, basil, pepper, and Parmesan in bowl and mix well.

Assembly:

Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of sauce in bottom of 13 X 9 baking dish. Cover with noodles. Cover noodles with half of the cheese mixture. Spread evenly with about 1 cup of sauce. Top with 1/3 of mozzarella cheese. Repeat one more time. Add another layer of noodles and top with 1/4 cup extra Parmesan cheese and the remaining mozzarella cheese.
Bake at 350 degrees covered with foil for 30 minutes.
Uncover and bake an additional 15 minutes or until cheese is lightly brown.

Spinach Rolls

Use your favorite spaghetti sauce with these rolls, whether it's homemade or store bought.  This makes alot of rolls, so it's perfect as an appetizer or as a buffet style entree.  We have made them for occasions like a Superbowl Party where everyone can help themselves.  Adjust all seasonings to taste.  Leftovers taste wonderful the next day, so plan to take some to work for lunch.

 

Cheese Filling:

16 oz container ricotta cheese

2 eggs

20-oz package frozen spinach, drained well

1/4 tsp pepper

1 tsp dried basil

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Other:

1 cups mozzarella cheese

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

2 C. Spaghetti sauce
cooked lasagna noodles

Add ricotta cheese, cooked drained spinach, eggs, basil, pepper, and Parmesan in bowl and mix well.

Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of sauce in bottom of 13 X 9 baking dish.
On workspace, lay one noodle flat. Spread noodle with a couple of tablespoons of the cheese mixture, spreading to 1/2 inch of far edge.  Roll up and place in baking dish seam side down.  Repeat.  Top with remaining spaghetti sauce.  Sprinkle on the mozzarella cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees covered with foil for 30 minutes.

Uncover and bake an additional 15 minutes or until cheese is lightly brown.

Macaroni and Cheese

Not the healthiest of meals but a very comforting one.  This recipe makes alot of mac and cheese.  However, the recipe can be easily halved.  It is also good leftover the next day heated in an oven proof container with sauted panko breadcrumbs on top.  Can also be put into a shallow dish and refrigerated overnight.  Then cut into slices, dip in egg, then panko breadcrumbs and deep fried.  Your arteries will hate you but your tastebuds will love it.

6 Tbsp. Butter

¼ C. Onion, minced

½ C. flour

4 C. whole milk

1 tsp. Worcestershire

1/8 tsp. Cayenne pepper

1 Pd. Macaroni

5 C. Cheddar Cheese, grated

1 tsp. Dijon Mustard

In large saucepan, melt 3 Tbsp. butter.  Add onion.  Cook until soft.  Add remaining butter, flour and salt.  Cook until golden in color, stirring to prevent scorching.  Pour in 2 cups of milk.  Whisk until smooth.  Add remaining milk and cayenne.  Heat to low boil then simmer for 15 minutes until starting to thicken.  In separate pot, cook macaroni unit salted water until al dente and then drain.  Set macaroni aside.  In sauce, add cheese, mustard and Worcestershire.  Whisk until smooth.  Pour over noodles and stir.

Stuffed Peppers

A family favorite.  A bit of a hassle with three pots on the stove, but well worth the effort. 

 

1 Lb. Hamburger
1 Onion, chopped
1 ½ C. Rice
1 tsp. Garlic Powder6 Oz. Tomato Paste
¼ C. Brown sugar
8 Oz. Brown sugar
5 Large Bell peppers
56 Oz. Tomato Juice

 In skillet, combine hamburger and onion.  Cook until browned and cooked through.  Season with salt, pepper and garlic powder.   Meanwhile, cook the rice according to package directions.  In separate pot, core the peppers and de-seed.  Boil peppers in salted water until crisp tender and then drain.  Add the tomato paste to the meat, and stir to incorporate into the meat mixture.  Add 2 cups tomato juice to the meat and stir in the hot cooked rice and cheese.  Stir and cook on low until cheese is melted and mixture is uniform.  Stuff into peppers.  Place peppers in large Dutch oven.  Pour enough tomato juice around the peppers so that the liquid will be about ½ way up the peppers, about 4 cups.  In small bowl, combine 1 cup of tomato juice with the brown sugar.  Pour the tomato juice with the sugar over the tops and sides of the peppers.  Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until heated through.