Chasing Adventure

Did you end up making burgers? I did!

Casseroles are great for those seasons that you need to feed quite a few and/or are busy enough that leftovers need to be a full healthy meal that can be served up quickly. I have 3 recipes to share with you that have turned into some of our favorites for those occasions. With Winter #2 finally over, I thought it was time to share.

What is Winter #2 you ask? When Spring has fought and supposedly won (80 degrees out) and then it falls below freezing again, I’m calling that a second winter. My plants, newly in the ground, were not amused.

Lazy Lasagna

This recipe came from a conglomeration of remembering goulash as a kid, an incredibly tall serving of lasagna that just begged for garlic bread, and Greg’s love of ricotta cheese. This one is easy and you can make it however flavorful that you want.

The noodles: I started off using elbow noodles, then moved to rigatoni noodles, and have settles on cavatappi noodles. I like the swirly shape and think it brings depth to the dish. Par-boil enough for your family, in a simmering pot of water with a little olive oil and salt. I use a half a regular box, which makes 5-6 servings.

The sauce: Here is where you can get creative! Plan to use a large deep dish skillet since this is where everything will end up together. I use:

• 1 lb. lean ground beef (93/7 at least) browned until 90% cooked
• Remove from skillet and set aside. In the same skillet:
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 2 jalapenos, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1/2 Keilbasa ring (I use skinless smoked turkey sausage)
• Brown in your choice of oil/butter (I use coconut oil) until just tender, without losing the crunch. Add in:
• 1 jar of spaghetti sauce, your choice
• Cover over medium heat and let come to a soft simmer. Add in the ground beef just before the cheeses.

In a separate bowl, combine a container of ricotta cheese, 1 cup of mozzarella cheese, and any spices you choose. I use salt, pepper, basil, and red pepper flakes. Add to the skillet, along with the cooked noodles. Cover and let simmer for about 10 minutes.

This is just enough time to make your garlic bread! I use melted butter with salt, oregano, and fresh garlic mixed in, then spread over sliced French loaf pieces.

Serve and enjoy!!

Chicken Spinach Artichoke Bake

This is a new one I found in a magazine and we LOVED it!

• 1/4 c. basmati rice, cooked
• 1 1/2 c. whole milk
• 1/2 c. freshly grated Parmesan
• 8 oz. cream cheese, cubed
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• Crushed red pepper flakes
• Salt and Pepper
• 4 c. shredded chicken
• 2 c. packed fresh spinach
• 1 14oz. can artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
• 2 c. shredded mozzarella, divided

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine milk, Parmesan, cream cheese, garlic, and red pepper flakes and season with salt and pepper. Cook until cheese have melted and mixture is slightly thickened, about 4 minutes.

In a large bowl, stir together cooked rice, chicken, spinach, artichoke hearts, 1 cup mozzarella, and cream cheese mixture and transfer to a 13×9 baking dish.

Top with remaining 1 cup mozzarella and bake until cheese is melty and golden, 20 minutes.

Serve and enjoy!

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

If you know me at all, you know that Mexican food is it’s own food group and something I can eat almost everyday. This is another recipe I found in a magazine and made it my own.

• 2 T. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 1 bell pepper, chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 3 c. shredded chicken
• 1 15oz can black beans (no/low sodium), drained and rinsed
• 1 15oz can corn, drained
• 1 4.5oz can diced green chilies
• 1 10oz cans enchilada sauce
• 18 corn tortillas
• 2 c. shredded cheddar
• 2 c. shredded Monterey jack
• Toppings: sour cream, fresh cilantro, avocado

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook onion and bell pepper, in the oil, until soft, 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute more. Add chicken, beans, corn, and green chilies and cooked until warmed through, 5 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup enchilada sauce, then pour the remaining sauce into the skillet, stirring to combine.

Spread reserved enchilada sauce on bottom of 13×9 baking dish, then lay down 6 tortillas, overlapping them slightly. Pour 1/3 chicken mixture over tortillas and top with about 1/3 of each cheese. Top with another layer of tortillas and repeat to make 2 more layers, finishing with cheese.

Bake until cheese is melty and sauce is bubbly, 30 minutes. Plate up, garnish with desired toppings, and enjoy!

I hope it’s fully spring time where you are! Now, we are going to move onto warm weather dishes.

~Katie