Spinach Pasta Bake w/Chicken or Sausage

This might be in Hunter's top 5 (in fact, I am sure it is).  My friend, Kristen, gave me this recipe and I am forever grateful.  You can prepare it ahead of time.  AND it freezes terrific.

INGREDIENTS:
 

8 oz. cooked penne pasta (or pasta of your choice)

1 T. olive oil

1 cup finely chopped, sautéed onion (medium size)

1 (10-oz.) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed

1/2 lb chicken OR 3 cups sausage*

2 (14.5-oz.) cans Italian-style diced tomatoes

1 (8-oz.) container chìve-and-onion cream cheese

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1.5 cups (6 oz.) shredded mozzarella cheese

*You can use chicken or sausage (or both).  We love it either way.  It depends if we've had chicken 3 days in a row (like we've had).  You can tell sausage was used in the pictures.

STEPS:

I typically keep out a large mixing bowl.  When the ingredients are prepped I add them to the bowl.  Mixing in the bowl before adding to the baking dish makes for a prettier presentation but definitely not necessary.  (You can mix in serving dish.)

Cook the pasta according to the directions.

Start to thaw the spinach in the microwave.  I have started to use a potato ricer to squeeze out the moisture and it works quite well.  I have always toyed with using fresh spinach - I am sure you can if you heat it on the stove a few minutes to get it to wilt.  Thawing frozen spinach IS my least favorite prep. 

Saute the onions in the tablespoon of olive oil and set aside.

Using the same pan, brown the sausage.

Drain the spinach.

Add the chive and onion cream cheese, mozzarella cheese, and tomatoes to the spinach, pasta, sausage and onions.  Make sure to stir in the cream cheese with the warm ingredients so it melts and mixes easily. 

This is an old picture of Hunter at Leadville circa 2011?  I had to use it since I rarely get pics of my assistant.

Bake, covered, at 375° for 30 minutes.

Uncover and bake 10 additional minutes or until bubbly.

It makes around 6 servings.



Asparagus Poppyseed Casserole

or...

Chicken Poppyseed Casserole WITH Asparagus

Do you ever feel guilty when eating Chicken Poppyseed Casserole?  I do many times because when I am cooking for myself I am totally neglecting veggies.  I found a recipe about a year ago that incorporates asparagus.  Wallah...a meal in one.

I really think you can probably add asparagus to any poppyseed casserole.  Just cook it slightly before the casserole is put together.  I sautéed the asparagus in a skillet for this casserole because that is what the recipe called for.  I really like blanching asparagus in order to keep the crispiness so I may try that next time.  Also, this time I had to substitute cream of mushroom soup instead of cream of chicken because that is what I had in my pantry.  I definitely like cream of chicken better!  

This is what makes the casserole so yummy.  

 And this...I have tried to mash the crackers in the actual packaging but the Ritz sleeve always busts.  With a ziplock of this size I typically don't even get out my rolling pin!  I don't think it would be right to make the casserole without the Ritz.  Something would be missing!

I cheated.  I had 2 of these in my pantry and they were about to expire.  You can't get easier than this.  Microwave for 90 seconds!

This recipe calls for layering.   I tried to look for my other recipe but it calls for rice on the side, I believe.

350 degrees for 30 minutes in the oven and you get this:

Tonight I brought the casserole preassembled to Hunter's house for dinner.  This is a good and easy dish for preparing ahead of time!

And another shot...

To find the original recipe, go to Tammy's Recipes:  

Poppy Seed Chicken and Asparagus

Yield: 

8 servings

Ingredients: 

4 cups fresh asparagus (trim and cut into inch-long pieces)
1/2 onion, diced
1 tablespoon oil
1 1/2 cups rice, cooked according to package instructions (should be about 4 1/2 cups of cooked rice)
5 cups (loosely packed) cooked cubed chicken
3 cups homemade cream of chicken soup*
1 cup milk
1 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
1 sleeve of Ritz crackers and 1/4 cup melted butter, optional

Instructions: 

1. Saute asparagus and onion in oil until crisp-tender.

2. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish. Spread cooked rice in the bottom. Top with the cooked asparagus.

3. In a large bowl** combine chicken, cream of chicken soup, milk, sour cream, and poppy seeds. Pour evenly over the asparagus and rice.

4. Optional: Crush 1 sleeve of Ritz crackers and sprinkle over top of chicken. Drizzle with melted butter.***

5. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, until hot and bubbly.

Mushroom Patties - Comfort Food

I've been abandoning my blogs so I snapped a few pics the other night while cooking dinner.  Both Hunter and I love this recipe...Mom would make it when we were little and Dad was out of town (he is not a mushroom fan).   I suggest you serve it over mashed potatoes....

I wish I had spent more time perfecting the pictures but the recipe is still worth sharing.  It is great if you want heavy, comfort food...and if you like mushrooms!

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef (I use 7% fat)

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 can sliced mushrooms

1 can whole mushrooms

water

I usually mold 6 patties from the meat in a nonstick pan with a lid.  Stick your thumb in the center of each patty.  This is a tip I learned on beloved pinterest.  It keeps them from "poofing" and helps them cook evenly.  I cook the patties on medium heat under the lid until they are cooked evenly. I flip them once during cooking. Drain the grease.

Then you simply add a can of soup and a half cup of water with the mushrooms.

Simmer on low for another 30 or so minutes.  You can cook it more or less but I find at least 30 minutes works out perfectly.  Then serve on mashed potatoes (and add a green veggie) and you are set  ENJOY!

Crockpot Pork Tenderloin Recipe

This Thanksgiving I am thankful for SO many things.  One of which is having Julie an email away to frantically ask for a crock pot suggestion for a White Plume Thanksgiving lunch I helped organize.  I, too, recommend this recipe from Allrecipes.com.  It passed with flying colors.  There were no leftovers.

Crock Pot Pork Tenderloin using Onion Soup Mix

Ingredients:

1 pork tenderloin 

1 (1 ounce) envelope dry onion soup mix

1 cup water

3/4 cup red wine

3 tablespoons minced garlic

3 tablespoons soy sauce
*I added a shallot because I had one this past time.  Loved the flavor*

freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Place pork tenderloin in a slow cooker.
2.  Top with the contents of the soup packet.  I have used Lipton and for reference the package looks like this below.  Use only one packet.  Save the other for next time!

2. Pour water, wine, and soy sauce over the top, turning the pork to coat.  

3. Carefully spread garlic over the pork, leaving as much on top of the roast during cooking as possible. 

4. Sprinkle with pepper,  and cover.

5.  For a 1 lb tenderloin cook on low for an hour and high for the final 3.  Add an hour for every additional lb.  I have used a 2.5 lb tenderloin and cooked on low for 2 hours and high for 3.  It fell apart with tenderness.

* As long as there is liquid in the crockpot, you can continue cooking or leave it on "keep warm."

The pork tenderloin in this one is a massive 2.5 pounder.  

Your house will smell amazing.  I have always loved the pre-made tenderloins but nothing compares to this!

Note:

I now make a gravy for the tenderloin and potatoes.  Add some butter to a pan and slowly whisk in some flour to thicken.  Scoup a some of the gravy and whisk until you achieve your desired thickness.

I leave you with a picture of my 'art project' for the office luncheon centerpiece.  It is a Thanksgiving tree.  Each employee wrote what they were thankful for. It came together quite easily/nicely.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL!

*Updated pictures and details 11/4/2014*

Meatballs and Mixers

I finally used my mixer today.  I didn't really take many good pictures so I apologize.  I just wanted to document this occasion.  I realize you can do meatballs by hand but why when I have an excuse to use my mixer!?

I already had taken off the attachment. Oops

Yummy recipe from Julie.  Made them and froze them for dinners.

Again, slacking on photography!

In case you need a good meatball recipe:

In stead of frying Julie (and I) bake them in the oven 350 for 20 minutes.  It is perfect!

Operation O'Carrs

What do you get when you add:

-hours of internet searching

-2 return trips to my house

-one additional trip to the grocery store (thanks Lance!)

-lots and lots of chicken

-"sweetness"

-lots of herb deliberation

-too many pecans

-LOTS of taste testing

and

-delirious singing of Camp Anawanna and reminiscing theme songs and other 90's tunes

.....Operation O'Carrs

I truly believe my mother didn't know of another Birmingham restaurant for years after I moved here.  I don't want to think of how many lbs of their chicken salad I've consumed.  I've had lots of great memories at O'Carrs.  Julie and I went on a quest to recreate the chicken salad. And while I don't think we matched it exactly, we got pretty darn close.  

Our journey started after my MIS class and their parenting class 5:00 Saturday night.  So, needless to say, it had been a long day for us all!

I bought a tub of the chicken salad so we could analyze what was inside.  It was confirmed that dill (dillweed as carol and I call it) is the herb of choice.  

There was no doubt the chicken salad had to be processed in the food processor (not sooo appetizing).  We are not sure how they got to that point so we boiled our chicken in some salt and paprika.  

 It most definitely contains grapes.  That was easy...

 Note: The container to the left is the store purchased and to the right is our creation.

Looking good... 

If we did stumble upon a killer recipe, we could make a killer profit.

Our final guestimation:

Julie and Shelley's Take on O'Carr's Chicken Salad

2 c. boiled chicken, chopped in processor

1tsp dill

1/4 c. grapes

1/8 c. chopped pecans

4 pinches paprika

2 oz cream cheese

3 T mayo

1 tsp honey

2 pinches salt

And while we didn't have fancy fruit, we did have fancy THEMED (aren't I good) crackers?

 Walla...

This is Lance's taste test. HILARIOUS.  The above plate had 2 of our recipes on it, along with the original.  By that time we had eaten SO MUCH of it, we knew.  After what I eat in the frig...I will probably NOT be eating any chicken salad for awhile (and darn if I don't have another O'Carrs Groupon waiting to be used)!

It is ALWAYS a fun time and great adventures cooking/baking at the Smith house!

***Update***
On July 22, 2012, I tried a cheesecake recipe similar to the O'Carr's recipe.  Click here to visit the blogpost.