Mexican Pasta Bake

More casseroles!

Mexican Pasta Bake



This casserole, that I found here at cooksrecipes.com, was fantastic. I made a few changes. For example, the pasta I used was a gem I found at Hy-Vee:



I also used ground beef instead of chicken and added crumbled Doritos, among other things. It was FANTASTIC. Walter loved it, and it will definitely be made again. Still not beautiful, but prettier than the last and still delicious. I will post the recipe as I made it, not as it was originally done.



Ingredients
-1 3/4 cups chili pepper linguine
-1 26-ounce jar medium chunky salsa
-1 10.5-ounce can of refried beans
-1/3 cup sliced green onions
-2 1.25-ounce packages Taco Seasoning Mix
-1 cup sour cream
-1.5 pounds ground beef
-1 cup nacho cheese Doritos, broken into crumbs
-2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Lightly grease 2-quart baking dish.
2. Brown ground beef and cook pasta.
3. Combine taco seasoning, salsa, refried beans, and green onions in medium bowl.
4. Spread 1 cup salsa mixture on bottom of prepared baking dish. Top with pasta.
5. Spread sour cream over pasta. Top with Doritos.
6. Combine remaining tomato mixture and ground beef and spoon over Doritos. Top with cheese.
7. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until heated through and cheese is melted.

Meatball Soup (and gamer cookies)

I am a bit of a worrier. I am only 20, and Walter is only 23, but I worry constantly about heart attacks, diabetes, and high cholesterol. But I don't worry enough to eat food I don't like.

Meatball Soup



This recipe came from Jessica Seinfeld's book, Deceptively Delicious. I know there is a lot of controversy surrounding this book right now (something about a lawsuit from the author of The Sneaky Chef, things I don't keep up with), but my sister got it for me for Christmas last year, and I have never read the book she supposedly plagiarized. And so, here we are. I was very tentative about this recipe, due to the vegetable purees, but it turned out pretty good. However, even with my additions, it was a bit bland. I will probably add a few more spices next time.

In addition to my spice changes, I didn't use the homemade purees that Mrs. Seinfeld suggests. Instead, I bought some baby food. I am lazy and cheap, and it worked just as well. :) I also used more meat and more pasta to make it less of a soup and more of a stew, as Walter is not a fan of incredibly thin soups.

Ingredients
-3 ounces whole-wheat pasta shapes (I used 12 ounces veggie pasta--semolina pasta shapes with carrot, spinach, and beet powders)
-1 Tablespoon olive oil (We were out of olive oil, so I used vegetable oil)
-1 small onion, chopped
-2 cloves garlic, chopped
-1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, with their juice (I used 1 29-ounce can of tomato puree, since the tomatoes were pureed in the recipe anyway)
-1/4 cup carrot puree (I used 1 4-ounce jar of carrot baby food. It was a bit more than 1/4 cup but did not affect the recipe)
-3 cups beef or chicken broth (I used 3 cups beef broth made from beef bouillon cubes flavored with garlic and onions)
-3 slices bread, cubed
-1 large egg, lightly beaten
-1/4 cup sweet potato puree (I used 1 4-ounce jar of sweet potato baby food. It was a bit more than 1/4 cup but did not affect the recipe)
-1/4 cup milk
-2 Tablespoons grated Parmesan, plus more for serving (I ommitted)
-1/4 teaspoon pepper
-1/4 teaspoon paprika
-1 teaspoon salt
-1/2 pound lean ground turkey (I used 1 pound extra lean ground beef)
I also added 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning, a dash cayenne pepper, and 2 Tablespoons garlic salt.

Directions
1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
2. Coat a large pot with cooking spray and set it over medium-high heat. Add oil, garlic, and onions and cook, stirring often, until onion is softened.
3. Puree the tomatoes (if using whole) and add carrot puree. Add to the onions and garlic along with the beef broth and 1 Tablespoon garlic salt (if using). Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 10 to 15 minutes.
4. Combine cubed bread, egg, sweet potato puree, milk, 1 teaspoon salt, remaining garlic salt, and Parmesan (if using) in large bowl. Let soak until bread is very soft, and then stir to break bread into crumbs.
5. Add ground beef to bread mixture and mix until smooth. Roll into meatballs, 1/2-inch in diameter, and add meatballs to the simmering pot.
6. Simmer meatballs and sauce, covered, until meatballs are no longer pink in the center, 12 to 15 minutes. Add pasta and serve.

Gamer Cookies



We had a LAN party this weekend, and I made sugar cookies. I didn't use a new recipe, as Walter requested the cookie and icing recipes from thisentry, but I thought I'd show the final results. I used a gingerbread man cookie cutter for the headshot cookies, and an octopus cookie cutter for the Cthulhu cookies. They were a big hit with the guys. :)

Orzo with Spinach and Red Peppers

I love spinach. This is a fairly recent discovery, so I am still experimenting with recipes that use it. But I do love it, especially with pasta.

Orzo with Spinach and Red Peppers



I got this recipe from All*You magazine's February 2009 issue. It was good, but not the greatest thing ever. I do love the texture, and with my additions it was okay, but it was still a bit bland. Regardless, I will probably make it again. It was a great side dish (we had it with lemon cilantro chicken), and perfect for when I have vegetarian friends over.

Ingredients
-1 pound orzo
-2 Tablespoons olive oil
-1 onion, chopped
-1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
-1 clove garlic, chopped (I used 3 cloves)
-1 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
-1/4 cup grated Parmesan (I omitted)
I also added 1 Tablespoon butter and 1 teaspoon garlic and pepper seasoning.

Directions
1. Bring pot of water to a boil. Add orzo and cook, stirring often, until done.
2. While cooking orzo, cook onion and bell pepper in 1 Tablespoon of oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook until tender, about eight minutes. Stir in garlic and spinach and cook until spinach is wilted.
3. Drain orzo and return to pot. Add remaining olive oil, vegetable mixture, butter, and garlic and pepper seasoning. Stir to combine.

Spaghetti Pie

Spaghetti and pie. Best combination ever.

Spaghetti Pie



This recipe is adapted from the Better Homes and Gardens Hometown Potluck Favorites cookbook. It was originally a pizza pie thing (It is titled "Pizza in a Bowl"), but I do not like pepperoni mixed with pasta very well. So, I adapted it to what you see below.




Ingredients
-2 cups thin spaghetti
-1 pound ground beef
-1 small onion, chopped
-1 14-ounce jar pizza sauce
-1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
-1 6-ounce can tomato paste
-1/2 teaspoon garlic pepper
-1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
-1/4 teaspoon onion powder
-2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cook spaghetti and drain. Brown ground beef with onions until onions are tender. Drain fat if necessary. Stir in next six ingredients and warm. Stir in cooked spaghetti.
3. Spoon one third of the mixture into a casserole dish. Sprinkle with one third of the mozarella cheese. Repeat with remaining thirds, alternating spaghetti mixture and cheese.
4. Bake, uncovered, for 25 to 30 minutes or until cheese is melted and noodles on top are slightly crunchy.

Spicy Penne with Sausage

There is entertaining tonight, so I thought I'd make something spicy and fun!

Spicy Penne with Sausage



This recipe...I got it from Guy's Big Bite on the Food Network. I changed it quite a bit, or at least enough that it has a different title in our home than on his website. Regardless, it is adapted from his. His idea of "spicy" is much different from ours...But I am going to write the recipe how I have it written on my recipe card (ie, the way I make it), not so much the way he does it. The link above will show you what it was originally.

Ingredients
-1 1/2 cups BBQ sauce
-3/4 cup canola oil
-1/3 cup lemon juice
-1 1/2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
-2 to 3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (I generally use 3)
-1 1/2 Tablespoons red pepper flakes
-1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
-1/2 teaspoon Garlic and Pepper
-1 teaspoon Cajun Spices
-2 Tablespoons Thai Garlic Chili sauce
-1 Tablespoon dried cilantro leaves
-Olive Oil
-Smoked sausage, sliced thinly
-2 cups cream
-1/2 teaspoon salt
-1/2 teaspoon pepper
-1 pound cooked penne
-Shredded cheese (Walter likes cheddar jack)

Directions
1. Combine first eleven ingredients and blend until smooth. Set aside.
2. Cook sausage in olive oil on high heat until brown on both sides. Lower heat to medium and add cream, 3/4 of the Chipotle sauce, salt, and pepper.
3. Add cooked penne and toss together. Top with remaining sauce and shredded cheese if desired.

Gnocchi with Sausage and Spinach

This was somewhat of a failure, but I will post it anyway. I did not mess up the recipe. In fact, I think that most people would enjoy it. However, Walter and I have discovered that we just do not like gnocchi. We are both texture eaters, and the texture is just not something we like. The sausage and the spinach were nice, and they mixed well with the garlic and onion, so I may try those with some other pasta, like penne or rigatone. So, somewhat of a failure, but not entirely. It just wasn't our cup of tea.

By the way, I found it on Real Simple's website.

Gnocchi with Sausage and Spinich

Ingredients
-2 9-ounce packages refrigerated gnocchi or one 17.5-ounce package shelf-stable gnocchi
-1 tablespoon olive oil
-1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
-1 pound Italian sausage, casings removed (I do not like ground sausage, so I did sliced smoked sausage instead)
-1 clove garlic, finely chopped (I used two cloves)
-1 5-ounce bag baby spinach
-1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
-1/4 teaspoon black pepper
-3/4 cup (3 ounces) grated Parmesan, plus more for garnishing (I ommitted this, as I am lactose intolerant)
I also added a dash of garlic powder and a dash of onion powder.

Directions
1. Bring water to a rolling boil and drop gnocchi in. Cook until they float to the top (about three minutes), and drain, reserving 1/4 of the cooking liquid.
2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened.
3. Add sausage and cook until brown, crumbling with a spoon. If using smoked sausage slices, just cook thoroughly.
4. Add garlic, spinach, salt, and pepper, and cook until spinach wilts. I added the onion and garlic powders at this point.
5. Add drained gnocchi, the reserved cooking liquid, and, if including, the Parmesan cheese. Toss ingredients.
6. Sprinkle additional Parmesan on each dish if desired, and serve.