Two Recipes: Sweet Potato Hashbrowns + Mexican Quinoa Casserole

My brother was coming over for dinner, so I decided to make a few fancier dishes the other night. They both turned out so yummy, I had to write down the recipes I used.

Mexican Casserole with Red Quinoa

(Adapted from this recipe)

-1 c. white rice 

-1 c. red quinoa

-1/2 lb ground turkey

-tomato

-grated cheese

-avocado

-onion

Cook white rice and red quinoa according to package, add butter

chop (dice) tomatoes and add to rice

cook ground turkey and add diced onion at the end

add cooked ground turkey, seasoned to taste (I used chili powder, cumin, and sloppy joe seasoning) to the top of your rice

top with mexican cheese and/or grated cheddar cheese

Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

serve/garnish with tomato and avocado and onion

Serve with a salad and raisin and date banana bread... and THIS...

Sweet Potato Hashbrowns with sausage

(adapted from this recipe)

-2-3 sweet potatoes (3 if small)

-garlic

-onion

-1/2 lb sausage (italian turkey sausage)~ can do bacon, I love bacon!

seasoning (I used garlic salt because I didn't have garlic on hand)

-2 tbsp. coconut oil

-1 tbsp butter

-tomato, avocado, egg*

-fresh rosemary, chopped

-fresh chives, chopped

* optional

Cook sausage, set aside

add coconut oil to grease

toss in bite-size potato pieces

cut up onion, chives, rosemary

Cook potatoes about 20 minutes (covered, but sauté/ stir once every few minutes)

add onion, garlic, seasoning

Cook for a couple more minutes
Remove from heat

Cook eggs and top with them

Mexican Lasagna

Mexican Lasagna

This is really delicious. I have made it far too many times! I like to serve it when we're expecting just a little company. Wouldn't want to make it for a big crowd. Not enough for me! ;)

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef
1 jar salsa
6 corn tortillas
1 can refried beans
1 c. sour cream
1 package pre-shredded Mexican blend cheese
Chopped fresh tomatoes and chopped scallions for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. Mist a large skillet with Veg. oil cooking spray, and place over medium-high heat. Crumble in the ground beef and cook, stirring and breaking up the lumps with a wooden spoon, until the beef browns all over and is cooked through, 4-5 min. Stir in 1/2 c. of the salsa. Set beef mixture aside.
3. Spread the remaining salsa in the bottom of the 10 in. glass pie pan. Top with 3 of the tortillas. Spread half of the beans over the tortillas, then half of the meat mixture, the 1/2 of the sour cream, then 1 c. of the cheese. Top with remaining 3 tortillas and repeat the layers, ending with all but 1/4 c. of the remaining cheese. Cover the pie pan loosely with aluminum foil. 
4. Bake the lasagna until it is hot throughout and the cheese has melted, 20-25 min. Remove Mexican lasagna from the oven, let it rest for 5 min, then cut it into wedges or spoon servings onto plates, garnished with the remaining 1/4 c. cheese and chopped tomato and scallions. Serves 6-8

Coconut Curry Baked Chicken

Coconut Curry Baked Chicken

This is delicious and you don't have to make additional side dishes, since they are part of the main dish. You might want to have a frozen pizza on hand for picky eaters. It is spicy!

ingredients:

• 1 c. rice
• 1 lb. chicken breasts
• 1 1/2 c. milk
• 1/2 c. coconut milk
• raw cashews, crushed
• curry powder to taste
• salt and pepper
• cayenne pepper for additional spice

preparation:
1. put rice, milk, half and half, and coconut milk, and curry powder in baking dish and stir to combine.
2. add chicken breasts and dot with butter.
3. sprinkle with cashews.
4. bake at 350 for 1 hr.
5. add sliced carrots for last 30 minutes.

Company Chicken

Company Chicken

This is so, so yummy. one of my favorite things to serve my family, but even better to share with guests.  I found this in a favorite cookbook years ago, and I have made it many times and many different ways!

1 lb boneless chicken breasts

1 can cream of mushroom or chicken soup + 3/4 c. milk

diced onion or green onion

bacon bits or salami bits (optional)

Bake on 275 for 3 hours. Or use a slow cooker

Serve with sweet peas and sister shubert rolls

or over rice or egg noodles with fruit salad or raw celery and carrots or a salad

Brownie sundae or apple crisp for dessert.

What to do with your leftovers~  Chicken and Rice Casserole- Very good!

Make 3/4 c. rice and roux with cheddar cheese

Mix into leftover rice, stir with peas and chicken

Top with cheddar, crackers, and melted butter/parmesan

Serve with leftover rolls.

Really Delicious, Simple Easy Pasta

{Need a picture}
1 small can of tomato paste
1 or 1 1/2 c. water
2 tbsp. Italian seasoning, or

1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. garlic salt
1/2 tsp. celery salt
1 tbsp. dried parsley
1/4 tsp. dried thyme

1 tsp. fresh bunch of basil, chopped

Cook 2 c. any kind of noodles al dente
Top with Sauce, Stir
Add meatballs, and shredded fresh mozzarella
Bake in a 400º oven for 20 min. or until melted

OH my goodness... so good!


Serve with rolls, green beans, and fruit salad

Shepherd's Pie

Shepherd's Pie 

I used to order this whenever I went out for Irish food. Now I can make a casserole, and eat on it for lunch-leftovers the next day or two (so now when we go out, I just get the burger).  A lot of times when I'm making this casserole, I brown the beef earlier in the day, add the soup, and stick it in the fridge. Then all you have to do at dinnertime is the mashed potatoes and pop it into your oven.


Shepherd's Pie

1 lb. ground beef or ground turkey
1/4 diced onion
1 can cream of mushroom soup
(I use 1/2 26 oz. can, meaning approx. 13 oz.)
Frozen Mixed Veggies- corn, peas, carrots, and green beans
3-4 Large Russet Potatoes, mashed
Milk to taste
Salt and pepper
Garlic powder
Mozzarella or Cheddar, shredded
Parmesan, grated


1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Brown your ground beef, and as the grease cooks out, add your diced onion.
3. Drain, and add cream of mushroom soup.
4. Put in casserole.
5. Thaw mixed veggies in the microwave, add salt and pepper and layer onto your beef mixture.
6. Wash and peel potatoes. Cut into large slices and boil for about 8-10 minutes, until just soft.
7. Drain water, add milk and butter, garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste. Mash as you stir this in.
8. Layer your potatoes, top with cheese, and pop into oven for 30 minutes.
9. Before taking it out of the oven, turn on the broiler to get your cheese a tiny bit browned.

I think my fave thing about this recipe is that it is good for all ages. Our one-year-old just gobbles it down. And serve it with a slice of multigrain bread, and that's it. (Ok, maybe some pudding for dessert). Enjoy!

Santa Fe Chicken Casserole~ a la Wendy

Santa Fe Chicken Ole Casserole

(My Mom's recipe~ so good!)

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 packet onion soup mix or 1 finely chopped onion
1 can stewed tomatoes
1 15 oz. can black beans
1 5oz pkg. brown rice (she often uses instant)
1/2 c. water
1 c. Mexican blend shredded cheese

1. Spray 2 qt. casserole with cooking spray and put in chicken and onion soup.
2. Sprinkle with lime and garlic and bake for 30 min. at 350 or until chicken is done.
3. Cut up then add rest of ingredients except cheese.
4. Mix, then cover tightly and bake at 350 for 45 min. or until rice is done.
5. Sprinkle with cheese, cover and let sit until cheese melts.

This is delicious!
Add salsa, sour cream, or cilantro if desired!! Serve with warmed tostadas or chips!

Bacon Carbonara Pasta

You have to try this if you've never had Carbonara. This is like a slightly more complicated Alfredo. It is one of our staples. We love it!

Bacon Carbonara

• 1 pound pasta, I used farfalle
• butter
• 6-7 strips bacon
• 2-3 cloves garlic, chopped or pressed
• 1/2 cup dry white wine or cooking wine (opt)
• 2 large egg yolks, butter, and heavy cream, egg yolk (opt) 

• Handful of finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, (I use dried parsley) for garnish
  Parmesan, grated

Directions:

1. Put a large saucepot of water on to boil. Add a liberal amount of salt and the pasta. Cook to al dente, about 11-12 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil and chopped bacon. Brown bacon for 3-4 minutes. Add red pepper flakes and garlic and cook 2 to 3 minutes more. Add wine and stir up all the pan drippings.

3. In a separate bowl, beat yolks, then add 1 large ladleful (about 1/2 cup) of the pasta cooking water. This tempers the eggs and keeps them from scrambling when added to the pasta.

4. Drain pasta well and add it directly to the skillet with pancetta and (bacon-if you want) oil. Pour the egg mixture over the pasta. Toss rapidly to coat the pasta without cooking the egg. Remove pan from heat and add a big handful of cheese, heavy cream, butter, lots of pepper, and a little salt. Continue to toss and turn the pasta until it soaks up egg mixture and thickens, 1 to 2 minutes. Garnish with parsley and extra grated fresh Parmesan.

Serve with Spinach Salad. Yummy!

Spinach Rice Casserole

Spinach Rice Casserole

This is a more involved dinner, feeding at least 12, so I recommend serving this for company meals.  It is so good, satisfying, and very nutritious. It is not a heavy casserole even with the eggs and milk.

Or prepare and enjoy the leftovers later in the week.

2 c. uncooked brown or white rice.
1 tbsp. butter
2 c. diced onion
2 lbs fresh spinach, stemmed and finely chopped
3-4 diced mushrooms container mushrooms of choice (I use Baby Bella)
1 tsp. salt
3 medium cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. parsley flakes
1/4 tsp. cayenne (optional)
black pepper to taste
1 to 2 tsp. prepared mustard (opt.)
1/2 c. raw sunflower seeds
2 beaten eggs
1/2 c. milk
1 1/2 c. grated mozzarella
paprika

Cook rice and place in large bowl- fluff with fork.

Preheat oven to 350 and grease a 9X13 baking dish.

Heat oil and sauté onion until soft. Add spinach, salt, mushrooms, and garlic, cook 5 min. over med. heat, stirring. Add to rice.

Beat together eggs and milk and pour over mixture, add cheese, raw sunflower seeds, and parsley to the top.

Bake 30-35 min. on 350. The sunflower seeds get nice and crispy. This got a thumbs-up rating from my most picky eater. She doesn't like nuts, but she loved the sunflower seeds.
adapted from moosewood cookbook