Easy Cheesy Broccoli, Sausage, 'n' Tater Bake

 

 This hearty casserole was inspired by my dear friend, Carol. 

She mentioned to me that she had made a casserole using Cheddar cheese soup, potatoes, and "kabossy" (because, seriously, does anyone really say "keelbossuh?"). Then she told me to feel free to "Joeyize" it, if I feel so inclined. Um... YES. Challenge accepted! So I added a few extra flavors to the sauce, and some broccoli for a little veg. It turned out great! Hearty and filling, and all in one pot. NAILED it! And I can honestly tell you that I immediately wanted to make it again after there was no more left. That's always a good sign!

 So if you're feeling a little casserole-y, give this one a try... my Joeyized version of Carol's casserole. 

Side note, my sister Cathy suggested calling it a tater bake because "tater is just fun to say!"

Who am I to argue??  Sounds to good me! Thanx again, Carol, for the inspo! Enjoy! 

  

 

 

Oil or bacon fat
1 lb Kielbasa or other smoked sausage, sliced
1 small onion, diced
4 potatoes, peeled and diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch broccoli, cut into florets
1 can Cheddar cheese soup
1/2 soup can of milk
1 cup sour cream
Dash of Worcestershire sauce
1 tbs mustard, any kind
S&P to taste
4 oz Cheddar cheese, shredded
French fried onions 



In a large wide shallow pan, over medium heat, sauté the sausage and onions until slightly browned. Add the potatoes and garlic and toss to coat with the fat. Add the broccoli florets and give it another toss. 
 In a mixing bowl, stir together remaining ingredients except the cheese and French fried onions. Cover and place in the oven for about 45 minutes. Remove cover. Top with Cheddar cheese and French fried onions. Place back in the oven (uncovered) for an additional 10 minutes. Remove from oven. Let it sit for a good 10-15 minutes before serving. 

Note:
If you don’t have a wide shallow pan that can go in the oven, just sauté the sausage and onions in a skillet, toss with the sauce ingredients in a large mixing bowl, then pour into a casserole dish for baking. 


Tips:
One of the key ingredients is the mustard. You can literally use any kind.. yellow, brown, Dijon, even dry powder.. it will all work. It’s the secret flavor weapon for making cheesy things taste more cheesy!
This recipe is the classic example of “if you like a lot, add a lot” (as my Mom used to say.) Feeding a big crowd? Add another potato or two. Wanna add some more veggies? Add diced carrots or even cauliflower florets. Wanna use chicken instead of sausage? Go for it! Want it to be completely meat free? Do it!
The French fried onions are optional, but let’s be honest, was there ever a casserole that wasn’t made better by adding them on top? I think not. 

Chili Dog Casserole

 

Whenever the seasons change, I always notice that my culinary cravings change as well. 

In Winter, I want to warm up with a hearty slow cooked stew. For Spring, I like something light and crisp and fresh. In Summer, I want Jersey fresh produce and cooking outside on the grill. And for Fall, you just can’t beat something warm and comforting.

Now that Summer is coming to a close, I’m thinking a fabulous casserole would be just the thing, but full disclosure, I have several projects going on, and I’m not so motivated to cook on a busy weeknight. 

So, what do you cook when you don’t feel like cooking? 

 At first, I thought of just heating up a bowl of my home canned chili, but then I saw this chili dog casserole from All Recipes and thought YES.. THAT’S the right answer. It’s hearty and comforting, it only needs a few store bought items, and it assembles in about 10 minutes. PERFECT!

 As I was making it, I thought, this couldn’t be any simpler. Nothing ground breaking here, it’s just a chili dog, after all. But using flour tortillas for the “bun” is the stroke of genius. It makes it SO easy and goes perfectly with the chili. Cool, huh?

 So if you’re feeling like an end of Summer casserole, keep this recipe in your repertoire when you need to get something on the table in a snap. It really hits the spot!

 

2 15oz cans chili (or your own)

8 beef hot dogs

8 taco size flour tortillas

8 oz Cheddar cheese, shredded

Heat oven to 425ºF.

Spread half of the chili in a casserole dish.

Roll up the hot dogs inside the tortillas and place in baking dish, seam side down, on top of the chili. Top with remaining chili. Sprinkle with shredded cheese. 

Cover tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Serve with desired toppings. 

Tips:

I topped mine with some jalapeños and sliced green onions, then added a dollop of sour cream. You could also top it with a little ketchup or mustard and some finely chopped raw onions. 

Use whatever kind of chili you like. Leftover home made chili? Perfect. Home canned chili? Definitely. With beans or without. All good. 

Wanna add more cheese? Do it! There’s no such thing as too much cheese. And for heaven's sake, shred your own! It melts SO much better than the pre shredded stuff and it only takes 2 minutes! 

Don't like tortillas? Just leave 'em out!

Macaroni and Tomatoes

 

  Have you ever heard of macaroni and tomatoes? 

 I'm not talking about your usual spaghetti dinner, I mean just simply macaroni with tomatoes. Ever tried it? It's a traditional comfort meal that's rooted in Southern and Appalachian regional cuisine. Basically it's a budget friendly meal that uses just simple pantry staples like elbow macaroni and stewed or canned tomatoes. Add a little bacon fat and butter for a little richness, and you have an easy weeknight dinner in a snap! 

 This version is from All Recipes, and when I first saw it, I thought "How can that not be good?" And it was so easy to make, especially since I always have jars of my favorite Jersey tomatoes all put up and ready to go. LOVE it. Actually, full disclosure, when I made it, I happened to have a giant basket of fresh ripe Jerseys, so I didn't even need to open a can. I just peeled and chopped them and then into the sauce they went. YUM.

 Now.. to be clear... as was stated in the All Recipes video.. this is NOT goulash, which is ground beef and elbows in a tomato sauce. It's just macaroni and tomatoes. Simplicity at its best!

 So if you have a bunch of hungry mouths to feed during a crazy week of trying to balance a million schedules, you should add this to your rotation. It's delicious, hearty, feeds a crowd, and won't break the bank. Definitely a keeper!

1 tbs bacon grease

1 1/2 cups diced very ripe tomato

1 28oz can whole tomatoes in juice

3/4 tsp kosher salt, or to taste

1/2 tsp pepper, or to taste

1/2 tsp sugar

1 cup water

2 cups macaroni

2 tbs cold butter

Heat bacon grease in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add tomatoes and cook, stirring often until tomatoes soften, about 5 minutes. 

Add canned tomatoes and mash lightly with a wooden spoon or potato masher to break the tomatoes into large pieces. Season with salt, pepper and sugar. Add water to tomato can to rinse any residual juice from the can and add water mixture to tomatoes. Bring to a simmer and reduce heat to medium-low while pasta cooks, stirring occasionally. 

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add macaroni and cook until just al dente, about 5-6 minutes. Drain pasta and add to tomato mixture. 

Cook macaroni and tomatoes together 8-10 minutes or until the flavors have combined and the mixture has thickened slightly. Stir in butter and serve immediately with warm crusty bread.

Tips:

To peel fresh tomatoes: Cut a shallow X in the bottom of each tomato, then plunge it into boiling water for 30-60 seconds until the skin starts to curl up. Remove to an ice bath or tray. When cool enough to handle, just use your fingers or pairing knife to peel the skin away from the X. 

When I saw the video for this recipe, she added a tbs of chicken bouillon paste, which I'm guessing is not traditional, but it definitely adds to the depth of flavor. The tiny bit of sugar, however, IS traditional. Back in the day, it was probably added to counteract the acidity of the tomatoes. Since tomatoes are now bred to be much sweeter, you don't really need it, but many people enjoy the nostalgic sweetness that it brings. 

Slow Cooker Grape Jelly BBQ Ribs

  Lately I've been in the mood for some barbecued ribs. You know.. cooked low and slow until they're falling off the bone... the kind where you wind up with BBQ sauce all over your face. Yes! THAT's what I'm in the mood for. But I thought... what if we play around with the BBQ sauce a little? I always like the mix of sweet and savory and smokey and sticky, so that's what I did!

 Also, this recipe couldn't be easier. Seriously, I think the hardest part is removing the membrane from your rack of ribs. The rest is just time. My Mom uses to say "just put it in the pot, and let it cook." So, that's what I'll say about this.. Just put the ribs in the crock pot and let them cook. You'll wind up with the sauciest best tasting ribs! Better have some extra napkins handy! Enjoy!

 

 

 

3 lbs baby back pork ribs, membrane removed and cut into individual ribs

You can also use this same recipe for chicken thighs!

For the BBQ rub:
1/4 cup brown sugar

2 tbs smoked paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

For the sauce:
1 cup grape jelly
1 cup BBQ sauce
1 pkt dry onion soup mix

1 tbs lemon juice

 

To remove the membrane from the back of ribs, place the rack on a cutting board bone side up. Use a dull tool like a butter knife to lift an edge, then grip the slippery edge with a dry paper towel and pull it off. It usually comes off in one big piece. 

 

In separate small bowls, mix the sauce ingredients and the rub ingredients. 
Sprinkle the rub on all sides of the pork ribs or chicken thighs. Massage over all until well coated. 
Place in slow cooker. Pour BBQ sauce over all to coat well. 

For ribs, cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours.

For chicken, cook on low for 4 hours or high for two hours.

After the cooking time, place chicken thighs and/or ribs on a baking tray. Brush with more BBQ sauce.  Place in a 400 degree oven for 15 minutes or until slightly charred. Or skip the oven, and finish them on a hit grill. Serve with lots of napkins at the ready!

Tips:
Just to be clear, this recipe is for chicken OR ribs. Since they require different cooking times, you wouldn't cook them both together in the same slow cooker. 
You can, however, set up separate slow cookers, time it so they finish at the same time, and have yourself a big ol' feast! 

Don't have grape jelly? Use a different kind. Peach or apricot would be great. You could even use blueberry. Oooo I think I might have to try that next time. 
If you like a thicker BBQ sauce, make a slurry of 1/2 cup COLD water and a tbs of corn starch. Stir it into the sauce and continue to cook until it thickens.