Creamy Spinach & Sausage Pasta

I just LOVE one dish meals!  They are typically quick to make, they get less dishes dirty, and it helps me get dinner on the table fast when we've had a busy day.  This recipe was quite amazing and my whole family devoured it.  Even the left overs were quite delicious. Thanks again Pinterest for another keeper recipe!

Creamy Spinach & Sausage Pasta

Source: Budget Bytes

6 oz. smoked sausage
1 T. olive oil
1 medium onion 
1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes
2 c. chicken broth 
8 oz. pasta 
3 c. fresh spinach 
1 c. (4 oz.) shredded monterrey jack 
1 whole green onion 

Instructions

1. Thinly slice the smoked sausage and add it to a large skillet with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Saute the sausage over medium heat until it is nicely browned (about 5-7 minutes). Drain off the excess fat.
2. Dice the onion and add it to the skillet. Continue to saute until the onion has softened (about 5 minutes). Add the can of diced tomatoes with chiles and the chicken broth. Stir to combine and dissolve any browned bits off of the bottom of the skillet.
3. Add the uncooked pasta to the skillet and make sure it is all submerged under the liquid. Place a lid on the skillet and allow the mixture to come up to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, turn the heat down to low and let it simmer for about ten minutes, or until the pasta is tender. Stir once or twice while the pasta cooks to keep it from sticking.
4. Stir in the fresh spinach, one cup at a time, until wilted. If you add it all at once, the skillet will be too full to stir. Keep the heat on while adding the spinach, so the liquid will continue to simmer and thicken.
5. Sprinkle the shredded cheese on top, replace the lid, and let it sit for a few minutes, or until the cheese is melted. Slice the green onions and sprinkle them over top. Serve hot!

Cheeseburger Casserole

We had cheeseburgers this week...in casserole form! My 5 year old was super excited when I told him there were pickles, and ketchup, and mustard inside...everything he likes on his standard cheeseburger! This meal turned out delish! Super duper easy to make and everyone gobbled it up!



Cheeseburger Casserole
Source: Hanging On By A Thread

1 lb. lean ground beef 
1/4 c. chopped onion
1/4 c. chopped dill pickles
1/2 c. water
1/2 c. ketchup
1 T. yellow mustard
1/8 t. pepper
1 1/2 c. shredded American Cheese (6oz) 
1 can (8oz) Pillsbury Crescent Recipe Creations refrigerated seamless dough sheet
1 egg, beaten
1 T. sesame seeds

Heat oven to 350 degrees, in a 10-inch nonstick skillet cook beef and onion over medium-high heat 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently, until thoroughly cooked; drain. Stir in pickles, water, ketchup, mustard and pepper.

Spoon beef mixture into 11 x 7 inch (2 quart) glass baking dish, sprinkle with cheese.

Unroll dough; press into 12 x 8 inch rectangle. Cut into 6 squares; place on top of cheese. Brush with egg; sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Bake 25-30 minutes or until deep golden brown.

Simple Macaroni and Beef with Cheese

I spotted this recipe on Pinterest. Hamburger, noodles, and cheese always makes a good meal and since my almost-two year old LOVES pasta, I wanted to give it a try. It turned out great and reminds me of goulash.



Simple Macaroni and Beef with Cheese
Source: Michael Ruhlman

1 large onion, diced
1 T. oil
salt to taste
Optional seasonings: black pepper, oregano, cumin, chopped garlic, hot smoked paprika, chili powder — whatever you’re in the mood for.
1 (28 oz.) can diced tomatoes
2 lb. lean ground beef
1/2 box macaroni
1 c. each grated cheddar and mozzarella cheeses

Sweat the onions in the oil with a pinch of salt. Add the beef and cook it, breaking it up as you do. Once hamburger is cooked thru, drain grease. Add another pinch of salt or two, along with any dry seasonings you want. Add the tomatoes and any fresh seasonings you may be using, bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low and cook for an hour.

Cook the macaroni in boiling water until it’s half done. Drain it and add it to the tomatoes. Stir it into the sauce. Taste it. Add more salt and other seasonings as needed, and cover. When it’s cooled and the pasta has absorbed the tomato juices, transfer it to a large baking dish and cover it with foil. It can sit out for several hours like this, be refrigerated for up to two days, or frozen a few weeks.

Bake it in a 400 degree oven until it’s piping hot (about 45 minutes if it’s cold to room temperature). Just before you’re ready to eat, remove the foil, cover macaroni with the cheese and broil until cheese is melted.

Tex-Mex Chicken and Rice Casserole

I love a recipe that is a meal all in itself. Here's a good one for you! A Tex-Mex casserole that is very filling and a family pleaser too!

I went a little heavy on the rice so it was a bit dryer than I would have liked. If I would have stuck to the 2 c. that the recipe calls for then it would have been perfect. My hubby poured some extra salsa on top of his to make it more moist. Either way, it was delicious!



Tex-Mex Chicken and Rice Casserole
Source: The Well-Fed Newlyweds

2 c. cooked chicken, chopped
4 c. cooked brown (or white) rice
1 c. corn
15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
4 oz. can diced green chiles
1 c. sour cream or Greek yogurt
1/2 c. salsa
1 c. cheese (cheddar, pepper jack, etc.), plus extra for the topping

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine the chicken, rice, corn, black beans, chiles, sour cream, salsa, and cheese. Mix well. Transfer the chicken mixture to the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle a little extra cheese on top. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until heated through and bubbly.

Serves 4 to 6.

Hash Brown Casserole

Here's a wonderful hash brown casserole that goes well with the Baked French Toast recipe I blogged about 2 days ago. The recipe calls for frozen hash browns but I used Ore Ida's Southern Style Hash browns (diced potatoes) instead of the typical shredded hash browns and I liked the outcome! Either one works well.



Hashbrown Casserole
Source: Food.com

2 lbs. frozen hash browns
1/2 c. margarine or butter, melted
1 (10 1/4 oz.) can cream of chicken soup
1 pint sour cream
1/2 c. onion, peeled and chopped
2 c. cheddar cheese, grated
1 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper

Preheat oven to 350°F and spray an 11 x 14 baking dish with cooking spray. Mix the above ingredients together, place in prepared pan and bake for 45 minutes or until brown on top.

Bean Casserole

I love when I get recipe suggestions from friends and family. This one came from my mom so I knew it had to be good! This recipe is like the king of baked beans because there are lots of extra goodies in it that makes it even that much better than your standard baked beans. Serve as your main course (like I did) or as a side.

Chicken and Black Bean Green Enchilada Rice Bake

I loved this recipe! Perhaps it was because it has a lot of my favorites inside like green enchilada sauce, black olives, tomatoes, black beans and cheese! It's easy to throw together and the leftovers are just as good, if not better. We ate this up to the last bite and I'm sure I'll make it again real soon.

Mexican Spaghetti

Here's another blast from my past. This is a meal that my Mom used to cook for us kids all the time. I'm not exactly sure why it's called "Mexican" Spaghetti because there's not much about it that reminds me of authentic Mexican food - but whatever, it's good!!! Loaded with lots of veggies but covered in cheese so the kiddos will still eat it. :)



Mexican Spaghetti

1 lb. hamburger
1 small onion, diced
1 c. celery, diced
1 garlic clove or garlic powder
1 c. mushrooms, sliced
1 green pepper, diced
1 can diced tomatoes (do NOT drain)
3/4 lb. shredded cheese
1 can cream of mushroom soup

Brown hamburger, onion, celery, garlic, mushrooms, and green pepper. Drain grease. Add tomatoes. Simmer for 1 hour then add mushroom soup. Meanwhile, cook spaghetti in boiling water, then drain. Gently stir together the pasta and meat mixture into a 9 x 13 inch pan. Top with shredded cheese and put in 350 degree oven until the cheese is melted.

American Chop Suey

Growing up, this was always a staple meal around my parents' house. I still make it to this day. It's such a quick and easy meal to throw together. It would definitely be considered comfort food in my dictionary. I hope your family will enjoy it as much as mine does!



American Chop Suey

1 lb. hamburger, browned
1 c. celery, chopped
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can water (fill up one of the empty soup cans)
3 T. soy sauce
3/4 c. uncooked rice

Mix all ingredients together and put in a lightly greased 9 x 13 inch pan. Cook in 325 degree oven for 1 hour, covered.

Tator Tot Casserole

While searching for more freezer recipes online, I ran across a cool website called The Freezer Chicks. They have lots of great freezer recipes out there!

I've had many variations of Tator Tot Casserole but never one quite like this so we are going to give it a try. It was very easy to put together and it is now tucked away in our deep freezer...another meal waiting to be eaten after our baby girl is born.



Tator Tot Casserole

1 lb. ground beef
small onion, chopped
1 can Cream Mushroom Soup
1/4 c. milk
1 c. sour cream
16 oz. pkg frozen mixed vegetables
3 c. shredded cheddar cheese (medium or sharp)
Tator Tots

Brown ground beef and drain. Saute onion until translucent. Mix. In bowl mix soup, milk, sour cream. Stir until well blended. In 9'x13' freezer/oven pan layer ingredients evenly as follows:

1. Ground beef/onion mixture.
2. Frozen Vegetables (break up any clumps of vegetables)
3. Soup/milk/sour cream mixture.
4. Cheddar cheese.
5. Top with layer of tater tots.

Cover with plastic wrap and then aluminum foil and freeze. Freezes about 6 months.

To heat: Preheat oven to 350'. Bake UNCOVERED 35-45 minutes until tater tots are brown and casserole is bubbly.

Broccoli Cheddar, Chicken and Tater Tot Casserole

This recipe caught my eye while looking at a food blog called Picky-Palate. I made it tonight for dinner and boy was it delicious! I can't wait to eat the leftovers tomorrow!

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

When we lived in Indiana, a good friend of ours used to cook Chicken Cordon Bleu for us on several occasions. It was a treat every time Catherine would invite us over for dinner! This was one of our favorite meals! Catherine was so good at making it! Once we moved to NJ, I decided I'd have to make it on my own if we ever wanted to eat it again. Click here for the link to the recipe. It takes a bit of time to make but is definitely worth all the hassle in the end.

The other day I saw a recipe for this Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole on a food blog called Gather Round Our Table. I thought, man that looks so easy! So I just had to give it a try!

Spaghetti Casserole

This freezer meal idea came from Mari's Recipe Blog.

Corn Pudding and Pork Chops

This next recipe has been a family favorite as far back as I can remember. It was always something we could depend on having at big family dinners. Corn pudding! Not to be confused with a dessert (with pudding in the name) but it is a tasty vegetable side dish to go with any meal. Last night I served it up with pork chops and mashed potatoes.

Non-Traditional Green Bean Casserole

I have always enjoyed a good Green Bean Casserole. This recipe caught my eye because it was different - it didn't call for the standard cream of mushroom soup. I just had to try it!