Baked Penne

Baked Penne

1/2 box Penne
1/2-1 jar red pasta sauce (I like cheese and garlic sauces)
1/2 cup cottage cheese (small curd) or ricotta cheese
1/3 cup shredded Italian cheese blend (or just Mozzarella)

1. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Boil pasta according to package directions (al dente).
3. Mix pasta with sauce and cottage cheese.
4. Place half of mixture into each of 2 mini-corningware baking dishes.
5. Sprinkle with cheese and bake for 20 minutes.

Notes: This can be cooked in a bigger cooking dish, too, but we like having our own individual dishes full of baked pasta. The ones I use are 22 oz each, made by Corningware. The recipe makes enough for 2, and can easily be doubled or more. I like using Barilla Plus for the added nutrients. Essentially, this is a cheap, but tasty meal. If you're a sucker for meat sauce, add 1/2 pound of cooked ground beef.

Recipe Origination: I'm sure it's in a simple recipe book somewhere, but I made it up. It tastes like lasagna without all the hassle of lasagna.

Chilaquiles Casserole (or Mexican Vegetarian) Lasagna

Chilaquiles Casserole

1/2 tablespoon canola oil
1/2 medium red onion, diced
1/2 red pepper, diced
1/2 medium zucchini, grated (optional)
1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed
1 10-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
1 cup corn, frozen (thawed) or fresh
1-2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
6 corn or flour tortillas, quartered
1 10-ounce can mild red or green enchilada sauce
3/4 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
Optional toppings - sour cream, guacamole

1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Heat oil in sauce pan over medium heat. Cook onions, peppers and zucchini until browned. (4-5 minutes)
3. Add peppers, beans, tomatoes, corn, cumin and salsa to saucepan and warm. (2-3 minutes)
4. Grease/spray an 8 x 11 baking dish. Place half of tortillas over bottom. Spread half of veggie mixture on top, followed by half the enchilada sauce and half the cheese. Repeat each layer.
5. Bake covered for 15 minutes, then an additional 10 minutes uncovered until bubbling on the edges.
6. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

Notes: The original recipe was double this one in a 9 x 13 baking dish. We're not big into leftovers, so this half recipe was great for 2 people and a toddler.

Recipe Origination: My cousin Erin Theoharis sent it to me. Thanks Cuz!

Taco Cupcakes

Taco Cupcakes

8 unbaked biscuit dough (1 tube), each cut in half
1 pound ground beef (or turkey)
1 taco seasoning mix
Toppings as desired (cheese, salsa, guacamole, sour cream)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Make taco beef according to seasoning mix directions.
2. Grease/spray 16 spots in muffin tray.
3. Press half a biscuit worth of dough in each muffin well.
4. Put one spoonful of taco beef into each well.
5. Sprinkle with cheese and/or salsa.
6. Bake for 12-15 minutes.
7. Top with additional toppings, such as guacamole or sour cream.

Notes: These can also be made using the mini-muffin trays. Cut the biscuit dough into thirds to make 24 mini taco cupcakes. If you don't cook them long enough, the inner dough won't be cooked and they're not very good!

Recipe Origination: A Heather original.

Quinoa & Black Beans

Quinoa & Black Beans

1 tsp oil
1/2 red onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 pepper (any color), chopped
1/3 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed
1 cup veggie broth
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup frozen corn
15 oz black beans (rinsed and drained)
Crumbled queso fresco
Chopped cilantro
Lime wedges

1. Heat oil over medium heat and saute garlic, onions and peppers.
2. Mix quinoa into saucepan. Pour veggie broth on top.
3. Season with cumin, cayenne, pepper and salt.
4. Bring to boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
5. Stir in corn and simmer for 5 minutes.
6. Mix in black beans until warmed.
7. Serve with crumbled queso fresco, chopped cilantro and a lime wedge. 

Notes: We like eating this with toasted tortillas cut up into triangles, though tortilla chips would work just as well. A side of guacamole is good, too. In case anyone cares, quinoa is considered a whole protein, which means it has all 9 essential amino acids in it, a feat traditionally completed only by meat products. So, it makes a good meat substitute, and is also gluten-free.

Recipe Origination: No idea. I'm sure I used a recipe the first time I made it, but I changed it since then to fit what my family likes.

Corn Bread Casserole

Corn Bread Casserole

1 can whole kernel corn
1 can creamed corn
1/2 cup (1 stick) melted butter
1 cup sour cream
1 box corn muffin mix

1. Mix all ingredients together and put in an 8" x 8" baking dish.
2. Bake at 350 degrees (uncovered) for 1 hour.

Notes: This will make about 8 servings. If recipe is doubled, use a 9" x 13" baking dish. For a little kick, add a 4 oz can of chopped green chiles and a finely chopped jalapeno.

Recipe Origination: It's a Gaasrud Family tradition at holidays. Officially, I got the recipe from Aunt Linda.