one-pot pasta with tomato-basil sauce

 

One-Pot Pasta with Tomato Sauce

• 12 oz. pasta 
• 28 oz. diced tomatoes
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 t. dried oregano
• 1/3 cup firmly packed fresh basil leaves
• 2 t. kosher salt
• 1 T. olive oil
• 1/4 t. dried crushed red pepper
• 6 oz. baby spinach
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Place all ingredients but spinach and cheese in a Dutch oven.  Cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat (about 12-15 minutes).  Reduce heat to medium-low, and cook, covered, 10-12 minutes or until pasta is slightly al dente, stirring at 5-minute intervals.  Remove from heat and stir in spinach.  Cover and let stand 10 minutes.  Stir just before serving.  Serve with Parmesan cheese.

butternut squash oven risotto

 

Butternut Squash Oven Risotto

• 6 cups cubed peeled butternut squash
• 4 T. olive oil, divided
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1/4 t. pepper
• 32 oz. chicken broth
• 1 cup water
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 cups uncooked arborio rice
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup beer
• 2 T. butter
• 1/2 t. chili powder
• 1/4 t. ground nutmeg
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Place squash in a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan.  Sprinkle with 2 T. oil, salt, and pepper; toss to coat.  Roast on a lower oven rack 30-35 minutes, stirring occasionally; remove when tender.

Meanwhile, in a saucepan, bring broth and water to a simmer; keep hot.  In an ovenproof Dutch oven, heat the remaining oil over medium heat.  Add onion; cook and stir 4-6 minutes or until tender.  Add rice and garlic; cook and stir 1-2 minutes longer or until rice is coated.

Stir in beer.  Reduce heat to maintain a simmer; cook and stir until beer is absorbed.  Stir in 4 cups hot broth mixture.  Place Dutch oven on an oven rack above squash; bake, covered, 20-25 minutes or until rice is tender but firm to the bite and liquid is almost absorbed.

Remove rice from oven.  Add butter, chili powder, nutmeg, and remaining broth.  Stir vigorously until blended and liquid is almost absorbed.  Stir in roasted squash and cheese.  Serve immediately.

Serves 10 (3/4 cup): 311 cal, 11 g. fat (4 g saturated fat), 15 mg cholesterol, 662 mg sodium, 46 g carbs, 3 g fiber, 7 g protein.

hearty meat sauce

Sometimes you want delicious but you don't want to spend an hour getting it.  This meal is for those times.

I created this hearty meat sauce once when we spontaneously invited company over.  We are usually not spontaneous people - I generally plan for days when I know someone is coming over.  In this instance, though, I had to create something fast with ingredients we already had in the refrigerator.  We loved the result so much that we wrote down what I did and have been having it ever since!

This sauce is delicious no matter how you serve it, but we love it over gnocchi.  Since gnocchi only takes 3 minutes to cook, this truly is a 15 minute meal!

Hearty Meat Sauce 

• 1 t. olive oil 
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 1 red pepper, chopped
• 4 oz. mushrooms, chopped
• 1 lb. smoked sausage, chopped into small bits
• 1/4 cup dry red wine
• 14 1/2 oz. can diced tomatoes, drained
• 8 oz. tomato sauce
• 2 T. tomato paste
• 2 t. brown sugar
• 1 t. oregano

Saute peppers, mushrooms, and sausage in olive oil until the veggies are tender and meat is heated through.  Add wine; cook and stir for 2 minutes.  Add remaining ingredients and heat through.  Serves 6.

cayenne corn cakes

Soup and bread is the perfect combo...unless the soup is spicy.  When you add spice to the mix, you've gotta have corn to sweeten things up a bit!

These corn cakes are easy and delicious - the perfect accompaniment to your favorite spicy soup.  I like them with tortilla soup, but this week we had them with a black bean soup.  They contain green onions and cayenne, adding their own level of spice to the meal.  But the natural sweetness of corn rounds everything out.  They are a must for your next night of Mexican food.

Cayenne Corn Cakes
Adapted from Gooseberry Patch's Celebrate Year Round

• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 t. salt
• 1 t. sugar
• 1/2 t. baking powder
• 1/4 t. cayenne pepper
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 3 T. butter, melted
• 2 green onions, sliced
• 1 cup frozen corn

In a small bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, salt, sugar, baking powder, and cayenne pepper.  In a separate bowl, whisk egg, buttermilk and butter.  Add egg mixture to cornmeal mixture and stir lightly.  Fold in green onions and corn.  In a heated cast iron skillet coated with oil, place heaping tablespoons of batter; brown and flip as you would pancakes.  Top with sour cream and salsa.  Serves 4.

cast iron fried apples

I first discovered fried apples while at a Cracker Barrel, and I was instantly hooked.  If you've never had them...well, you need to.  And the stuff in the can in your grocery store doesn't count.

This recipe is my attempt to copycat my favorite Cracker Barrel side dish.  You bake them in the oven and finish them on the stove.

And no...you really don't need a cast iron to make these...but it does work nicely!

This makes a delicious breakfast, side dish, or even dessert.  And it definitely fulfills any Cracker Barrel cravings!

Cast Iron Fried Apples

• 4 sweet apples, cored and sliced
• 1/4 cup butter, sliced into pats
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1-2 T. cinnamon

Place apple slices into a large skillet (preferably cast iron) and top with pats of butter.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes, or until fork tender but not mushy.  Remove from oven and sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon over top.  Over low heat, gently stir until sugar is dissolved and makes a syrup.  Serve warm.  Makes 4 servings.

slow cooker toasted nuts and pumpkin seeds

Did you know that you could toast nuts and pumpkin seeds in your slow cooker?  I didn't!  Well, that is, until I tried it.  It's now my favorite method - they always end up toasted evenly with lots of flavor, and if I forget them for a while, they don't get burned!

Slow Cooker Toasted Pecans and Pumpkin Seeds

• 2-4 cups pecans, pumpkin seeds, or other nut
• 2-3 T. olive oil
• seasonings (salt, pepper, chili powder, oregano)

Place all ingredients into a slow cooker and stir.  Cover and cook on high for 15 minutes; stir.  Uncover and continue cooking on high, stirring occasionally, until nuts or seeds are toasted to your liking (about 2 hours).

molasses baked beans

This. Was. Fabulous.  I think the picture says it all.

There are a few secrets to these baked beans that make them unlike any other I've ever tried.  First...the molasses.  Rich, creamy and dark, these molasses pack the perfect amount of spicy sweetness into these beans.

Second, this recipe calls for a clove-studded onion.  I had never heard of such a thing!  I have stuck cloves in ham...in oranges...but in an onion?  Never!

Yet, it was amazing.  The clove added the perfect flavoring, and sticking the whole cloves into an onion allowed for an even more complex taste with easy removal after everything was done cooking.  What a showstopper of a technique!

You should give these a try today.  And while you're at it, make some cornbread to go with them!

Molasses Baked Beans
adapted from Gooseberry Patch's Hometown Harvest

• 2 16oz. packages dried navy beans
• 1/2 lb. salt pork, cut into strips
• 1 cup molasses, divided
• 3/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed
• 1 T. dry mustard
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 onions, chopped
• 1 whole onion
• 10 whole cloves
• 1 lb. kielbasa or smoked sausage, sliced

Cover beans with water in a large pot; soak for 2 to 3 hours.  Drain beans, reserving liquid; place beans in a slow cooker.  Add salt pork, 3/4 cup molasses, brown sugar, mustard, salt, pepper, and chopped onions.  Stud whole onion with cloves; add to slow cooker.  Add sausage.  Pour in enough of reserved liquid to fill half full; stir. Cover and cook on high setting for 4 to 5 hours, or on low setting for 8 to 9 hours, until beans are tender.  After several hours, if a darker color is desired, stir in remaining molasses; continue cooking as directed.  Remove clove-studded onion and salt pork before serving.  Serves 8.

corn chowder

This soup was so easy to make, that there was no point in even putting together a picture tutorial.  You just dump all of the ingredients in a saucepan, turn on the stove, and 10 minutes later you have lunch.  I love it!

This soup is so easy that my dog could make it.  Okay, okay, that's not true.  I don't have a dog.  But...you get the picture.

It's also creamy, hearty, and absolutely delicious. 

Corn Chowder

• 1 cup frozen corn
• 1 can cream-style corn
• 1 cup milk
• 1 chicken breast, cooked and cubed
• 1/2 green bell pepper, diced
• 1 heaping tablespoon masa (you could also substitute cornmeal or flour)
• 1/2 t. thyme
• 1/4 t. white pepper
• 1/2 t. salt (or more, to taste)

In a medium saucepan, combine all ingredients.  Heat on medium-high until boiling, about 10 minutes, stirring constantly.  Serves 3-4.  Easy!

sausage lentil stew

This soup took only 10 minutes to put together, is chock full of healthy ingredients, and filled us up more than I imagined it would.  It is also a slow cooker recipe, which meant that I didn't have to stay in the kitchen all morning tending to it.

Sausage Lentil Stew

• 1 cup dried lentils
• 14 oz. package turkey Kielbasa, sliced 1/2-inch thick
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 cup carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1 baking potato, peeled and diced
• 1/2 bunch kale (about 1/2 pound), washed, stemmed, and cut into pieces
• 6 cups beef broth
• 1 t. parsley
• 1/2 t. pepper
• 1/4 t. nutmeg

Sort and wash lentils.  Combine lentils with remaining ingredients in a large slow cooker.  Cover and cook on high setting one hour; reduce heat to low setting and cook 3 hours.  Stir before serving.  Serves 6.

baked pork chops

I got this recipe after I became engaged to marry my husband.  His family gathered their favorite recipes together and presented me with recipe cards.  This one is from his Aunt Beth.

I think that recipes are one of the most thoughtful gifts anyone can give a new bride.  As we prepare to start families of our own, there is so much pressure to be a good cook for our husbands.  I especially worried that my cooking wouldn't hold up to the standard that his family had already set.  Thank goodness they were willing to share their recipes!

I've since lost my worries - he loves my cooking and appreciates all of the recipes that I've brought to our marriage.  But, it's still fun to fix some of his childhood favorites.  It's a great way to show him that I love him and appreciate where he came from.

These pork chops are one of my favorite of the recipes that I acquired as a young bride.  They are easy to make and positively delicious.  I just love the creamy sauce that tops them, and I often serve them over rice or mashed potatoes so that I can be sure that no sauce remains on my plate!  They are definitely a must-try.

Baked Pork Chops

• 4 -6 pork chops
• 1/4 cup flour
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 cups seasoned bread crumbs
• 4 T. olive oil
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/3 cup white wine
• 1 t. garlic powder
• 1 t. seasoned salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place the eggs, flour, and seasoned bread crumbs in separate bowls.  Dredge the pork chops lightly in flour, dip in the eggs, and coat liberally with bread crumbs.

Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat.  Fry the pork chops 5 minutes per side, or until the breading appears well-browned.  Transfer the pork chops to a 9x13 baking dish, and cover with foil.

Bake for 1 hour.  While baking, combine the soup, milk, white wine, and seasonings.  After the pork chops have baked 1 hour, cover with the soup mixture.  Replace the foil and bake another 30 minutes.

chicken apple sliders

These are seriously some of the best burgers I have ever had!  We are normally beef people when it comes to hamburgers, but we couldn't resist trying this combination of apple, ground chicken, and bacon.  Um...can you say delicious?  I don't know if I can go back to beef now.  We especially love how easy and quick these were to make. 

Chicken-Apple Sliders
from Gooseberry Patch's Weeknight Dinners

• 1 Granny Smith apple, cored and shredded
• 1/4 cup celery, finely chopped
• 1/2 t. poultry seasoning
• 1/4 t. pepper
• 1/4 t. salt
• 2 T. honey
• 1 lb. ground chicken
• 8 slices bacon, crisply cooked, crumbled, and divided
• Optional: 2 slices favorite cheese, quartered
• 8 mini rolls, toasted and split
• Garnish: mayonnaise, shredded lettuce, sliced tomato, and onion

In a large bowl, combine apple, celery and seasonings; toss to mix.  Add honey, chicken and half of bacon.  Stir until combined; do not overmix.  Form into 8 small patties.  Grill or pan-fry patties about 4 minutes on each side, until chicken is no longer pink.  If desired, top with a piece of cheese during the last few minutes of cooking.  Place patties on rolls; top with remaining bacon and other toppings, as desired.  Serves 8.

buttermilk pecan waffles

This recipe is one of our favorites! It takes just a few minutes to prepare, feeds several, and is special enough for company.  I introduce to you Buttermilk Pecan Waffles!

These are better than a basic waffle - the buttermilk and pecans take the texture and flavor to a whole new level.  We love them served with Buttermilk Syrup, but just about any topping will do.  Hope you enjoy them as much as we do. 

Buttermilk Pecan Waffles
Adapted from Gooseberry Patch's Merry Christmas

• 2 cups flour
• 1 T. baking powder
• 1 t. baking soda
• 1/2 t. salt
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Combine first four ingredients; set aside.  Beat eggs in a mixing bowl until light; mix in buttermilk.  Add dry ingredients to egg mixture and beat until smooth.  Stir in melted butter and pecans.  Pour 3/4 cup batter onto a greased and preheated waffle iron.  Cook according to manufacturer's directions, and repeat with remaining batter.  Makes about 7 waffles.

crumb-topped apple pie

I just love apple season!  Apple crisp, apple pie, applesauce, apple butter - they are all delicious, especially this time of year.

I've been in search of a good apple pie recipe, and I think I've found one!  Pioneer Woman has truly done it again.  This pie was a cinch to make but tasted like I took all afternoon.  Don't you love it when recipes taste and look more impressive than they are to make? I changed things up a bit by using sweet Gala apples instead of tart apples and drizzling the served pie with caramel sauce.  What can I say...I like things sweet!

Serve warm, drizzled with caramel sauce.  Or...serve cold.  Honestly, it's good either way!

To see the Pioneer Woman's original recipe, click here.  For my variation, see below!

Crumb-Topped Apple Pie

• unbaked pie crust
• 3 large (or 4-5 small) Gala apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 T. flour
• 1 cup cream
• 2 t. vanilla extract
• 1/4 t. cinnamon
• 1/8 t. nutmeg

TOPPING:

• 7 T. butter
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup pecans (finely chopped)
• dash salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Prepare pie pan with pie crust dough.

Mix together cream, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 T. flour, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  Pour over apple slices and gently combine.  Pour into pie shell.  Combine topping ingredients and mix until crumbly.  Pour over apples.

Cover the edges of the crust and lay a piece of foil loosely over the top.  Place pie pan on top of a rimmed cookie sheet and bake for one hour.  Then, remove foil and continue baking until bubbly and lightly browned, about 15-20 more minutes.  Serve drizzled with caramel sauce.

For the caramel sauce:

• 1/2 cups butter
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup cream
• 1 dash salt
• 1/2 t. vanilla

Melt butter and sugar together over medium heat while stirring occasionally.  Let mixture simmer lightly until it starts to bubble and look foamy.  Cook this for 3-5 minutes.  Stir in milk, salt, and vanilla.  Turn burner off, but leave caramel sauce on the hot stove until ready to serve.