Baked Pasta with Chicken Sausage

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium red onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 (14.5 oz) can crushed tomatoes
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 cup heavy cream (I used whole milk)
1 pound rigatoni (I used penne)
10 oz frozen baby spinach, thawed and drained well (can substitute 1 or 2 9-oz bags fresh spinach)
12 oz precooked smoked chicken sausage, halved lengthwise and sliced 1/4 inch thick (I used Trader Joe's Garlic Herb Chicken Sausage)
8 oz mozzarella cheese, 4 oz cut into 1/2-inch cubes and 4 ounces shredded (I just used all shredded)
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta in the boiling water until about a minute less than the al dente package directions. (If using fresh spinach, add it to the pot of boiling water right at the end and cook until wilted.) Drain, and return contents to the pot.
2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion; cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in garlic. Cook for another minute.
3. Stir in tomatoes, oregano, and basil; simmer for 8-10 minutes. Add cream; cook until warmed through, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. (I added 1/2 tsp salt.)
4. Add tomato sauce, sausage, spinach, and cubed mozzarella to the pot; toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. (I didn't add any more seasoning here.) Scoop pasta into lightly greased 9x13-inch pan (or divide evenly between two 8x8-inch pans.) Top with shredded mozzarella and Parmesan. Bake until browned and edges are crisp, 20 to 30 minutes.

Make ahead instructions: Prepare recipe until the baking step, and then cover with a double layer of aluminum foil. Freeze. Bake covered for 1 hour and 30 minutes, uncover and bake 30 minutes longer. Alternately, the dish can be prepared and refrigerated (covered) for up to 12 hours before baking. Bake as directed in the recipe, adding an additional 5-10 minutes if needed.

Source: http://www.melskitchencafe.com/baked-pasta-with-chicken-sausage-2/

Try #1 - May 23, 2015
A nice alternative to my normal baked ziti. Everyone (except Lucy, of course) seemed to like it. The biggest difference I made was to layer the shredded mozzarella on the pasta like I would normally do for baked ziti, instead of mixing it in with the other ingredients.  This is mostly because I don't have anything other than shredded mozzarella on hand.

Bean Burritos

1 cup brown or white rice (or 2 cups already cooked rice)

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 jalapeno, seeds and membrane removed, finely diced (can substitute 1 can of green chiles) - (I used 1/2 cup salsa verde)
1 teaspoon cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
3 tablespoons tomato paste
2 cans (15 oz. each) pinto beans, drained and rinsed (or use 1 can pinto beans, 1 can black beans)
1 1/2 cups water
1 (10 oz) package frozen corn or 1 can whole kernel corn, drained
6 green onions, white and green parts finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
16 burrito-sized (10-inch) flour tortillas
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese (I used 1 cup Monterey Jack, 1 cup cheddar)

1. Cook rice; set aside. Meanwhile, heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, jalapeno and cumin; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are softened and golden, being careful not to let the garlic burn. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring for 1 minute.
2. Add one can of beans and mash gently in the pan (a potato masher or fork works great here). Add the second can of beans and the water and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 10-12 minutes, being careful not to let the mixture stick to the bottom of the pot. Add corn; cook to heat through, 2-3 minutes. Stir in onion and garlic powders. Remove from heat; stir in green onions and cooked rice.
3. Heat tortillas in microwave for about 30-45 seconds or until all are warmed through. Fill each tortilla with about 2/3 cup bean and rice mixture and 1/4 cup cheese on one side of tortilla. Fold, and hold in sides. Starting from filled end, holding sides in as you work, tightly roll into a bundle. Place on a baking sheet, seam side down, and prepare remaining burritos.
4. Serve warm immediately, with salsa and sour cream if desired — or, to freeze for later consumption, put the baking sheet of burritos into the freezer for at least 30 minutes, or until very cold so that they don’t come apart in the wrapping process. Remove them from the freezer and wrap each burrito individually in plastic wrap and place all the wrapped burritos in a freezer-safe resealable bag and freeze up to three months.

To reheat from frozen: Remove plastic wrap from the burrito. Poke holes in the top several times with a fork. Microwave on high for two minutes. Gently poke a few more holes in the burrito and microwave for another minute. Be careful as the burrito will be piping hot!

Source: http://www.melskitchencafe.com/super-bean-burritos/

Try #1 - May 20, 2015

These turned out great! Pretty easy, and the kids liked them - William especially gobbled his up and wanted second and thirds! I once again apologize for the unappetizing photo.

Try #2 - June  15, 2015
Added shredded chicken this time. This is a very flexible recipe - I followed it loosely and it still turned out great.

Broccoli and Sausage Pasta

1 lb spicy Italian sausage
1/2 cup olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb cavatelli pasta
1 lb frozen broccoli
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1. In a skillet, brown sausage over medium heat until no longer pink; drain, and reserve.
2. In the same skillet, cook garlic in olive oil until golden.
3. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions. Three minutes before the end of the cooking time, add broccoli; drain pasta.
4. In a large serving bowl, toss together the sausage, olive oil and garlic, pasta and broccoli, and Parmesan cheese. Season with red pepper flakes.

Source: Bites

Creamy Coleslaw

1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 Tbsp vinegar
1 to 2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
4 cups shredded green and/or red cabbage
1 cup shredded carrot (2 medium)
Variations:
Add 1/2 cup finely chopped green pepper
OR 1/2 cup finely chopped or shredded apple

1. In a small bowl, stir together mayonnaise, yogurt, vinegar, sugar, and salt to make the dressing.
2. Put cabbage and carrots in a large bowl. Add green peppers or apples if desired. Add dressing. Toss lightly to coat. Cover and chill 2 to 24 hours.

Source: adapted from Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook

This is my go-to recipe for coleslaw.  I like to add the apple for a touch of sweetness.

Pomegranate Beef in the Crockpot

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 yellow onion, sliced
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon herbes de Provence
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3 pounds beef roast (chuck roast works)
4 garlic cloves (whole is fine, or you can chop them)
1 (14-ounce) can fire-roasted crushed tomatoes
1 cup unsweetened pomegranate juice
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/2 cup golden raisins

1. Use at least a 6-quart slow cooker. Swirl the olive oil into the bottom of the stoneware. Add the onion. Rub the spices on all sides of meat and add to the stoneware with the garlic, the whole can of tomatoes, pomegranate juice, vinegar, and syrup. Sprinkle the raisins on top.
2. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or on high for about 5. The meat is done when it has reached desired tenderness. Serve with mashed potatoes, and drizzle with the sauce.

Source: A Year of Slow Cooking

Roasted Asparagus

1 lb asparagus spears
1-2 Tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
Kosher salt
Freshly grated black pepper
Lemon juice (or balsamic vinegar)

1. Preheat your oven to 400°F. Rinse the asparagus spears. If the ends are tough, break them off and either discard or save for stock. You can also use a vegetable peeler to peel away the tough outer skin of the fatter ends of the asparagus if you want.
2. Line a roasting pan with foil. Arrange the asparagus spears in a single layer on the lined roasting pan. Drizzle with olive oil and rub the spears all over with the olive oil to coat. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and minced garlic, and rub over the asparagus spears to evenly distribute.
3. Roast for 10 minutes, more or less, depending on your particular oven and how thick the spears are, until the asparagus are just lightly browned and tender when you pierce them with a fork.
4. To serve, drizzle with fresh lemon juice or balsamic vinegar, and if you want, a sprinkling of grated Parmesan cheese.

Source: http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/roasted_asparagus/