Category Archives: casseroles

March 8, 2015 · 4:00 pm

Sausage Farfalle Skillet Dinner

Here’s a quick and easy skillet dinner. Although I make my own sauce and grate my own cheese, you can use a jarred sauce and shredded cheese. I cook the dish in 25 minutes using my Kitchen Craft Electric Skillet, but you can adapt the recipe for baking in the oven.
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RECIPE

Sausage Farfalle Skillet Dinner
Serves 4

Ingredients:

  • 1 package chicken sausage (Italian Style)
  • 2 cups dried farfalle pasta (Bowties) or your choice
  • 16 oz. low sodium tomato sauce
  • 1/4 cup sour cream
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 carrot
  • 1/2 yellow onion, quartered
  • 1 tsp. dried Italian seasonings
  • 1 tsp. Kosher salt
  • 1/4 tsp. pepper
  • 2 cups shredded Italian cheese (or Parmesan, Mozzarella mix)

Directions:

  1. Preheat electric skillet to 225°
  2. Slice sausages into 1/4″ slices.
  3. In a blender (I use a Vitamix) combine all other ingredients except the pasta and cheese. Puree into a sauce.
  4. Cover bottom of skillet with sliced sausage. Layer farfalle pasta on top the sausage. Then pour the sauce over the layers, completely covering the pasta.
  5. Cover and cook 20 minutes.
  6. Lift lid, stir layers, then cover with the shredded cheeses. Cover and reduce heat to its lowest setting.
  7. Cook an additional 5 minutes then serve.

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Enjoy!

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January 24, 2013 · 2:31 pm

EASY POTPIE

After making a chicken dinner for my husband and me, I had a cup of leftover gravy and about 12 ounces of leftover chicken meat. What to do for dinner the next day? Easy. I pulled out a 15 ounce can of no-salt-added Veg-All and a roll of frozen puff pastry. A half cup of milk thinned my gravy to make 12 ounces of sauce and I had all I needed.  (but if you don’t have gravy, a can of condensed cream of chicken soup works well, too.)

Vary or season to your own tastes. Here’s how I put my easy potpie together:
Preheat oven to 400°.

Combine drained vegetables with shredded cooked chicken in a baking dish. Preheat oven to 400°

Combine drained vegetables with shredded cooked chicken in a baking dish.

Add gravy.

Add gravy.

Roll out thawed pastry dough to fit baking dish.

Roll out thawed pastry dough to fit baking dish.

Crimp crust and poke vent holes using the tines of a fork.

Crimp crust and poke vent holes using the tines of a fork.

Brush egg wash over puff pastry.

Brush egg wash over puff pastry. Bake one hour.

Remove from oven. Let cool 5-10 minutes before serving.

Remove from oven. Let cool 5-10 minutes before serving.

Serves 4. Enjoy!

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September 3, 2012 · 7:14 am

Penne Alfredo Fake-out

In a perfect world, we cook everything from fresh and make our own sauces, etc. But real life often challenges us with unexpected company or a rushed schedule. There’s no need to resort to take-out, not when you can fake out. Take a little help from the store and keep a few cheat items in your pantry and freezer. Here’s a favorite emergency dish I make in twenty minutes. I read labels and shop as wisely as possible to ensure my fake out is as healthful as possible.

RECIPE

Penne Alfredo Fake-out

Ingredients:
• 2 cups whole-wheat penne pasta
• Salt
• 1 jar reduced fat Alfredo sauce
• 1 cup frozen vegetables
• ½ pound medium shrimp, with veins and tails removed
• ½ cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
• ¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions:
1. Cook penne pasta according to package instructions in salted, boiling water.
2. In a 2 quart covered saucepan, gently heat shrimp and vegetables over medium-low heat until shrimp turns pink and sauce is bubbly (approximately 10 minutes)
3. Drain cooked penne and toss with the shrimp sauce mixture.
4. Serve, garnished with chopped parsley and shredded cheese, if desired.

Yield: 4 servings

Variations: Chill leftovers for a tasty pasta salad.

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July 31, 2012 · 8:17 am

King Ranch Casserole

King Ranch Chicken Casserole is a South Texas favorite because it travels well, freezes, and tastes great. The best part for me is that it’s made in advance , which makes it a great time-saver, especially when you’re expecting company. I thank my Houston friend, Bonnie Clyburn, for introducing me to this delicious dish. I’ve downsized and lightened the original recipe. Feel free to double the recipe for a crowd.

KING RANCH CASSEROLE

Ingredients:
7  6” corn tortillas, cut into large strips
2 Tbsp. real butter
1 cup chopped onions
1 clove minced garlic
1 4-oz. can green chilies, rinsed and drained
1 14½-oz. can diced tomatoes and green chilies
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. black pepper, freshly ground
Pinch cayenne pepper
3 cups cooked chicken, diced
1 can low sodium condensed cream of chicken soup
1 can low sodium condensed cream of mushroom soup
½ cup light sour cream
2 cups grated 2% Colby-Jack cheese (I use my Vitamix to grate cheese)
1 cup low sodium chicken broth
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional) for garnish

Directions:
Spray a 9″ X 13″ baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Cover bottom of dish with half the tortilla strips.
In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Sauté onions, garlic, and green chilies until softened (about 3 minutes).
Add tomatoes and green chilies to the skillet and reduce heat. Simmer until liquid evaporates.
Stir in the salt, pepper, and cooked chicken. Remove from heat.
Spread half of this mixture over the tortilla strips covering the bottom of the baking dish.
In a mixing bowl, combine the soup and sour cream. Spread half of the soup mixture over the layer of chicken and tomato mixture in the casserole.
Sprinkle half of the cheese over the casserole.
Create another layer with the tortilla strips, chicken mixture, remaining soup mixture, and remaining cheese.
Pour the chicken broth over the casserole. Cover the casserole with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
To serve, preheat oven to 325° and remove casserole from the refrigerator to sit (at least 15 minutes, up to an hour).
Bake the casserole (uncovered) 1 hour, or until cheese browns and casserole bubbles.
Remove casserole from oven and allow it to cool at least 10 minutes. Sprinkle with fresh chopped cilantro (optional) and serve.

Yield: 4 – 6 servings.

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