Mexican Potato Sausage Casserole

Ingredients:
12 oz ground chorizo or Italian sausage*
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 package Simply Potatoes® Southwest Style Hash Browns
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack or Cheddar cheese
4 eggs
1 cup milk
1 medium tomato, seeded, chopped


Heat oven to 350°F
Spray 8 or 9-inch square baking dish with nonstick cooking spray
In 10-inch skillet cook sausage and green pepper over medium-high heat 8 to 10 minutes or until sausage is browned and cooked through; drain
Place half of the Simply Potatoes in prepared baking dish
Top with half of the sausage and 3/4 cup of cheese; repeat
Combine eggs and milk in medium bowl; beat well with fork 
Pour egg mixture evenly over layered mixture in pan
Cover with foil; bake for 45 minutes
Uncover; add chopped tomato and remaining 1/2 cup cheese
Bake, uncovered, for an additional 10 to 15 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean
Let stand 10 minutes before serving


* I used Italian sausage

Sizzling Sage Butter Pasta

Recipe found in cookbook Pasta by Eric Treuille & Anna Del Conte

Ingredients:

1 lb dried pasta (ribbons or stuffed pasta)

6 Tbsps butter

2 garlic cloves, peeled & halved

16 fresh sage leaves

freshly grated Parmesan

Cook pasta in large pot of boiling, salted water until firm to the bite

While pasta is cooking, heat butter & garlic in a skillet over medium heat until just golden

Add sage leaves & cook, stirring until fragrant (30 seconds)
Remove & discard garlic

Drain pasta & return to the warm pasta pot
Add hot butter & sage to pasta; toss well to coat

Serve immediately with Parmesan

Spinach & Walnut Pesto Pasta

Quick dinner. Be careful not to overdo the garlic!

Ingredients:

1 cup packed, stemmed spinach leaves

4 garlic cloves, crushed

3 Tbsps walnut pieces

6 Tbsps extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup grated Parmesan

salt & pepper

1 lb dried pasta (tubes or shells)

Place spinach, garlic, walnuts & olive oil in a food processor; pulse until smooth

Transfer to a bowl

Mix in Parmesan until well combined

Add salt & pepper to taste

Cook pasta in large pot of boiling, salted water until firm to the bite

Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water

Return pasta to pot, toss with pesto adding reserved water as needed

Serve immediately

Rocky Road Bars (Minus the Nuts)

These are delicious & addicting!

Recipe courtesy of Betty Crocker

Ingredients:
1 box super moist devil's food cake

1/2 cup butter, melted

1/3 cup water

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 eggs

1 cup chopped nuts*

3 cups miniature marshmallows

1/2 cup plain M&Ms

1/3 cup pre-made chocolate frosting

Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan)

Grease bottom and sides of 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray or shortening

In large bowl, stir together half of the dry cake mix, the butter, water, brown sugar and eggs until smooth

Stir in remaining cake mix and the nuts; spread in pan

Bake 20 minutes (25 minutes for dark or nonstick pan)

Sprinkle with marshmallows

Bake 10 to 15 minutes longer (14 to 18 minutes longer for dark or nonstick pan) or until marshmallows are puffed and golden

Sprinkle with M&Ms

In small microwavable bowl, microwave frosting uncovered on High 15 seconds; drizzle over bars

Cool completely, about 1 hour

Cut into bars

*I am not a big fan of nuts in baked goods & didn't include them when making these

Uglies

Recipe courtesy of Allrecipes.com

These don't look pretty but they sure taste good!

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 tsp garlic powder

18 oz BBQ sauce
1 package (8 biscuits) refrigerated biscuit dough

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 400°

Lightly grease 8 muffin cups

In a large skillet, cook ground beef with onion & garlic powder

Stir in BBQ sauce & simmer 3 mins

Place biscuits in greased tins; make a well in the center of each biscuit

Fill biscuit with meat mixture; top with cheese

Bake in oven until biscuits are baked & cheese is melted, about 15 mins

Turkey Enchilada Casserole

Recipe courtesy of Sunset Magazine

Ingredients:
1.5 lbs ground turkey breast
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 Tbsp oregano, dried
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp canola oil
1 can (29 oz.) red enchilada sauce
Salt
12 corn tortillas (6 in. wide), cut in half
2 cups shredded jack cheese

In a large pan over high heat, stir turkey, onion, garlic, oregano, and cumin in oil until turkey is crumbly and no longer pink, about 4 minutes
Stir in 1 cup enchilada sauce
Add salt to taste
Arrange a fourth of the halves evenly over the bottom of a shallow 3-quart casserole, overlapping to fit
Sprinkle a fourth of the cheese evenly over the tortillas, then top with a third of the turkey mixture and a fourth of the remaining enchilada sauce, spreading each level
Repeat to make two more layers of tortillas, cheese, turkey mixture, and sauce; top with another layer of tortillas and sauce, then cheese
Bake at 425° until cheese is melted and casserole is hot in the center, 18 to 20 minutes

Spicy Peanut Chicken over Rice

Recipe courtesy of Cooking Light

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp peanut oil

1 cup chopped onion

1.5 Tbsps minced garlic

2.5 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite size pieces

1/3 cup chunky peanut butter

1.5 tsps curry powder

1 tsp salt

1 tsp crushed red pepper

1/2 tsp black pepper

6 oz can tomato paste

15 oz can diced tomatoes, drained

2 (14 oz) cans fat-free, less sodium chicken broth

cooked rice

Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat

Add onion & garlic to pan; cook 5 mins or until tender, stirring frequently

Add chicken to pan; cook 4 mins or until chicken is done
Stir in peanut butter, curry powder, salt, red pepper, black pepper, & tomato paste; cook 1 min

Add tomatoes & broth to pan; bring to a boil

Reduce heat & simmer 30 mins or until slightly thickened, stirring occasionally

Serve over rice

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