Baked Spaghetti Squash Casserole with Sweet Sausage, Peppers and Onion

This was fantastic!  I love using bratwurst in my pasta dishes in place of ground beef.  It bursts with flavor and adds sweetness.

Ingredients:

• 1 large spaghetti squash
• 4 to 5 bratwurst, casings removed
• 2 bell peppers, your choice of colors, diced
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp dried basil
• 1/4 tsp each salt and black pepper
• 1 cup shredded Parmesan

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Halve spaghetti squash and place cut side down on buttered baking sheet.  Bake for 40 minutes or until tender.  Cool to the point of being able to handle, remove and discard seeds then shred pulp gently with a fork so that strands resemble spaghetti noodles.  Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.

While squash bakes, cook and crumble bratwurst in a skillet over medium heat.  Add peppers, onion and garlic and continue cooking until vegetables are crisp tender.

Add squash, tomatoes, basil, oregano, salt and pepper to skillet and heat through.  Remove from heat and drain excess liquid.  Mix in 3/4 cup Parmesan and transfer to a greased 9×13 or oval 2 quart casserole dish.  Bake uncovered for 30 minutes, topping with remaining Parmesan for the last five minutes of baking time.

Recipe and photo by me MyLittleFoodSpot.com

Mom’s Creamy Macaroni Salad

Ingredients:

• 2 cup macaroni
• 2 ea cucumber
• 1 bunch green onions
• 2 ea roma tomatoes
• 1 ea  green, red, or yellow pepper
• 1 cup Miracle Whip
• 1/2 cup Hidden Valley Ranch

Preparation:

Boil macaroni until tender and drain. Rinse with cold water. Add chopped cucumber (unpeeled), chopped green onions, diced tomatoes and chopped peppers. I like to take about a third of each pepper color to add to the mix for color and flavor, also this recipe can be adapted to the size and quantity you desire. Remember when I make this the macaroni is added by the handful, so the quantities listed are general. Experiment…can also add radishes, chopped ham,etc. or leave out the tomatoes if Tamra is going to be there.

From the kitchen of Cathy Knorr

Spicy Sausage Sauce

I’ve made this one a number of times.  An easy and tasty twist on the classic spaghetti sauce.  For some reason though, we generally eat it over hot, cooked rice.  Pasta.  Rice.  You choose.  It’s great either way.  And if you prefer your food heat-less, use sweet Italian sausage and nix the jalapenos.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 pound spicy Italian sausage links, removed from casings
• 1 tablespoon thinly sliced garlic
• 1 jalapeno pepper, minced or finely diced
• 1 cup lightly packed, torn fresh basil leaves
• 1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes, pureed with their juices
• Salt, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the sausages and cook until done, breaking them up into chunks with a wooden spoon.  Remove the sausages from the saucepan and drain them on paper towels. Remove all but 2 tablespoons of fat from the saucepan. Add the sliced garlic and chiles and cook until the garlic begins to brown, about 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Add the basil and cook for 15 seconds, then add the tomato puree. Simmer the mixture for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

Return the sausages to the saucepan and heat through.  Serve over your favorite pasta or hot, cooked rice.

Adapted from Michael Chiarello’s recipe

Photo by me, My Little Food Spot

Classic Two-Meat Chili

I found this recipe in some slow cooker cookbook but have found, over time, that I prefer just about everything prepared by some method other than a crockpot.  The flavors of this soup are very well balanced and I have always loved the addition of the ground sausage so I had to adapt it to a stovetop method (didn’t take too much genius).  I sometimes eliminate the “spicy” from the sausage and/or the beans, depending upon my mood, what’s stocked in my cupboard and what’s available at the supermarket.

Ingredients

• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 1/2 lb Jimmy Dean spicy ground pork sausage
• 1 onion, chopped
• 28 oz can stewed tomatoes, undrained
• 15 oz can tomato sauce
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 1 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 30 oz can spicy chili beans, undrained

In a dutch oven or other heavy pot, cook ground beef, sausage and onion; drain.

Add remaining ingredients, bring to a boil and simmer for at least an hour (up to 3 or more hours) to allow the flavors to meld.

Photo by me, My Little Food Spot

Skillet Chicken Ole

I broke out my favorite cookbook recently, Southern Living’s Easy Weeknight Favorites.  We tried some new recipes and relived some old favorites.  This one is a definite tried and true treasure.

Ingredients

• 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into small pieces
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 T olive oil
• 10 oz. can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 4 oz. can green chiles, undrained
• 10 oz. frozen whole kernel corn
• 2 1/4 oz. can sliced black olives
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
• 1 cup shredded colby jack cheese
• Hot cooked rice

Cook chicken, garlic, and onion in hot oil in a large skillet over medium heat for five minutes, stirring frequently.  Add tomatoes, green chiles, corn, olives, salt and pepper.  Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes.  Uncover and simmer 10 more minutes.

Sprinkle with cheese and serve over rice.

Photos by me, My Little Food Spot

Sloppy Joe Loaf

Easy and tasty.  I like to drain the mixture before topping the loaf.  Nobody likes a soggy sandwich.

Ingredients

• 3/4 pound ground beef
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 14 1/2 oz. can diced tomatoes
• 2 T brown sugar
• 2 T white vinegar
• 1 pound loaf Italian bread
• 1 1/2 cups shredded nacho-and-taco cheese blend

Brown ground beef and onion in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring until beef crumbles; drain and return to skillet.  Add tomatoes, brown sugar, and vinegar; cook, stirring constantly, 3 minutes.

Slice bread in half lengthwise; place on an ungreased baking sheet.  Bake at 425 for 5 minutes or until toasted.  Spread bread halves with meat mixture, and top with cheese.  Bake at 425 for 12 minutes or until cheese melts and loaf is thoroughly heated.  Cut each half into 3 pieces.

Recipe from Southern Living: Easy Weeknight Favorites

Photos by me, My Little Food Spot

Cajun Shrimp and Rice

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup dry rice
• 2  tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 2  pounds peeled and deveined large shrimp
• 1  tablespoon Cajun seasoning, salt-free
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 1  bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1/4  cup chopped green onions
• 1/4  teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2  cup canned Italian-style stewed tomatoes, undrained
• 1/2  teaspoon salt
• 1/8  teaspoon black pepper

Cook rice according to package directions, omitting salt and fat.

While the rice cooks, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the shrimp with Cajun seasoning; toss to coat. Add shrimp to pan; sauté 4 minutes or until done. Remove from pan; keep warm.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add garlic; sauté 30 seconds. Add the pepper, onion, green onions, and thyme; sauté 3 minutes or until tender. Stir in cooked rice, shrimp, tomatoes, salt, and pepper, and cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated.

Recipe by Southern Living

Photo by me, My Little Food Spot

Ground Turkey Mexican Lasagna

I served this to my husband and my mother and, upon asking them what they thought the ingredients were, they both began with “hamburger.”  The recipe called for ground chicken but I found ground turkey to be quite a bit less expensive and didn’t know if there would be much of a difference.  I still don’t know if there’s any difference, but the turkey was very good.  The texture was almost identical to ground beef and, with all the seasonings, the flavor was indistinguishable as well.  This makes a pretty big pan but I was okay with leftovers on this one.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 pounds ground turkey
• 2 1/2-ish tablespoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1/2 sweet onion, chopped
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained
• 1 cup medium heat taco sauce or 1 (14-oz) can stewed or fire roasted tomatoes
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels
• Salt
• 8 (8 inch) spinach flour tortillas
• 2 1/2 cups shredded Colby Jack cheese

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Preheat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil- twice around the pan. Add turkey and season with chili powder, cumin, and red onion. Brown the meat, 5 minutes. Add taco sauce or stewed or fire roasted tomatoes. Add black beans and corn. Heat the mixture through, 2 to 3 minutes then season with salt, to your taste.

Coat a shallow baking dish (I used a porcelain 9×13 pan) with remaining extra-virgin olive oil, about 1 tablespoon oil.

Cut the tortillas in half or quarters to make them easy to layer with. Build lasagna in layers of meat and beans, then tortillas, then cheese. Repeat: meat, tortilla, cheese again. Bake lasagna 12 to 15 minutes until cheese is brown and bubbly. Top with extra Taco Bell medium taco sauce (that stuff is da bomb).

Recipe inspired by Rachael Ray.

Photos by me, My Little Food Spot

Asian Pasta Salad

One of the best cookbooks I have ever invested in is my Southern Living: Easy Weeknight Favorites.  I purchased it around the time we were married and, after eight years, I have probably made about every recipe in it, loving all but a handful.  I have made this salad a few times and definitely enjoy the texture and favors.  My only complaint is that it is very difficult to get a good bite-full on a fork.  It may work better with a shorter noodle, but I would miss the texture of the linguine.  I will try it sometime and update with my thoughts, or, better yet, someone else try it and let me know.

Ingredients

• 8 ounces dry linguine
• 3 cups broccoli florets
• 12 cherry tomatoes (halved)
• 4 green onions (sliced)
• 2 large carrots (sliced diagonally)
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds (toasted)
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons dark sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon hot sauce
• 2 garlic cloves (minced)

In large pot with boiling water, cook pasta. Drain, rinse pasta with cold water and let drain again. Place pasta in a large salad bowl, add broccoli, next 3 ingredients and toss well. In a small bowl or jar with lid, combine soy sauce and remaining 6 ingredients. Whisk together or cover tightly and shake vigorously. Pour mixture over pasta and toss gently.

Picture by me, My Little Food Spot

Beefy Spanish Rice

As many times as I have made this, I wondered why it hadn’t made it to this blog.  I generally have all the ingredients on hand and it’s a super easy, quick fix when I don’t know what to make.  I last made it with home-frozen tomatoes.  I typically squeeze as much juice out of them as I can before freezing and they were still way too juicy.  So, if you’re substituting fresh or frozen tomatoes, you’ll probably need to experiment on how much juice to drain from them.  We always scoop it up with tortilla chips.  And in case you care, I love any kind of olive, but Derek takes his without.

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef
• 28 oz. can whole tomatoes, undrained and chopped
• 1 T instant minced onion
• 2 T chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 1 cup instant long-grain rice, uncooked
• Garnish: pimiento-stuffed olives

Brown ground beef in a large skillet, stirring until it crumbles.  Drain and return to skillet.  Add tomatoes, onion, chili powder, salt and pepper, stirring well.  Bring to a boil and add rice.  Cover, reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes, or until rice is tender.  Garnish, if desired and serve with tortilla chips.

Picture by me, My Little Food Spot