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. 

Huli Huli Chicken Skewers

 

   

   Have you ever heard of Huli Huli sauce? I must admit that until recently I was not familiar. It's kind of like a Hawaiian BBQ sauce, and it's AMAZING. 

 The first time I made it, I brushed it on chicken and pineapple skewers, (which were FABULOUS, btw) but then I thought "I need to make a giant batch and then can it!" CLEARLY it needs to be included on my wall o' jars. (Don't you just love it when you're in the middle of a meal and already deciding when to make it again? No? Just me?)

 Anyway, I found several recipes.. all very similar, but just slightly different. From what I can see, they all seem to start with your base ingredients like ketchup, soy sauce, pineapple juice, and brown sugar. Most add garlic and ginger too. Some add dry mustard, some add sherry or apple cider vinegar. It's basically like any other BBQ sauce where no two are the same. I did what I always do.. I read several versions, and then pieced them together using all of my favorite components. And it turned out great! 

 Btw, if you're wondering about the name, the word "huli" means "to turn", named after the traditional way roadside chicken is grilled on open-fire spits and flipped while being basted.

 So there you have it. The next time you're looking for a fabulous sauce to brush on your grilled chicken or pork, try this one. Simply stated, it's absolutely delicious! Boom. 

 

 

 For the sauce:

1 cup ketchup

1 cup soy sauce

1 cup pineapple juice

1 cup brown sugar 

1 tsp minced garlic

1 tsp minced fresh ginger

2 or 3 tbs lemon juice

Small pinch crushed red pepper flakes

Freshly ground black pepper 

 

In a large pot, stir together all ingredients until well combined. I like to simmer it for about 10-15 minutes over a low heat, just to let the flavors come together. 

That's literally all there is to it!

For the skewers:

I recommend boneless skinless chicken thighs, bell peppers, and fresh pineapple.

Cut chicken into bit sized pieces. I usually get about 4 pieces from each thigh.

Marinate the chicken in the Huli Huli sauce for about 30 minutes.

In the meantime, cut up your pineapple and peppers to the same size.

 To assemble skewers, just alternate pieces of chicken, pineapple, and peppers in whichever order you prefer. Place on a hot grill, and cook for about 15-20 minutes, turning frequently.  

 

 

 

 

Tips:

This sauce goes amazingly well on pork, so feel free to make your next batch of ribs with it.  

If you don't have a grill, just bake in the oven at 350º for about 20 minutes. Broil for the last 5 minutes.  

Some recipes use a little less soy sauce and brown sugar. Make it the way you like it!

Want it to be spicy? Add more crushed red pepper flakes. 

Sweeter? Add a little more brown sugar. I bet honey would also be a great addition. 

If you don't have fresh garlic or ginger, feel free to use garlic or ginger powder.  

If you want to can it, ladle hot sauce into hot jars, leaving 1/2 inch head space. Process pints in a water bath canner for 20 minutes. 

 

  

Fresh Peach Butter

 

  So, I'm guessing you've heard of apple butter, but did you know you can make butter with other fruits as well? In this case, I'm not talking about regular BUTTER butter, but rather a fruit spread that is rich and velvety smooth, sort of a cousin to fruit jam. Actually, if we're being specific, jam is different because it has added pectin and pieces of crushed fruit in it. Fruit butter is thicker and more dense, has no added pectin, and is cooked down and pureed smooth. It's absolutely HEAVENLY. 

  Recently I had some fresh Jersey peaches that were ripe and sweet and PERFECT for making butter, and I thought, "Why don't I make this more often??" It's SO much easier to make than you might think, and it's so fresh, it tastes like summer in a jar. In fact, I'm already planning to take a ride to my favorite produce stand so I can make more! Not even kidding. 

 So I hope you'll give it a try. I PROMISE you'll be glad that you did!

 

 

Fresh peaches

Sugar

Lemon juice

 

 

I usually peel my peaches, but you don't really need to. Just remove the pit and throw your sliced peaches into a pot with about a 1/2 cup of water. For every pound of peaches, add about 1/2 cup sugar. Add a few tablespoons of lemon juice. Place over medium heat and bring it up to boil. Use a potato masher to crush them up a bit. When the peaches are soft, use a hand blender to puree (or CAREFULLY ladle into a blender in batches). When it's completely smooth, reduce heat to just a simmer. You don't want a hard boil here, just a gentle 'bloop... bloop..." know what I mean? Let it simmer for about 30-45 minutes. Done!

 

Serving suggestions:

Use it as a spread on buttered toast and English muffins, or as a topping for pancakes, waffles, and French toast. It's also fabulous when added to yogurt and topped with granola. Or my favorite... swirl it into some home made vanilla bean ice cream for a perfect summer treat!!!

 

 

Tips:

I like to just keep it simple because I love the freshest peach flavor, but feel free to add spices like cinnamon or ginger. You can also add finely chopped crystallized ginger with the peaches and then puree as directed. 

For canning, use only yellow peaches, not white (white peaches have a different PH level, making them unsafe for canning) Ladle hot peach butter into hot jars, then process pints or half pints for 10 minutes in a water bath canner.  

 

 

 

Potatoes and Peppers

 

 

 I was recently scrolling through the tick tocks, and I saw a video for this recipe. It's an old timey recipe that was clearly meant for using up leftover potatoes and peppers. Coincidentally, I happened to find myself in the position of having a surplus.... three big potatoes leftover from my most recent Dinner Hang, and a whole bag of peppers from my sister, Jeanie.  I thought "How perfect is that??" 

 It was so easy and it turned out so good, I thought "why aren't we making this all the time??" Of course, I can see this as a side dish for any kind of grilled or roast beast, but I can REALLY see it as part of a big Sunday breakfast with eggs, bacon, sausage, and/or scrapple. YUM! It's also good enough to be a one pot meal, all on its own. Add some diced ham? YES PLEASE! I'm officially adding this to my breakfast/brunch repertoire. 

 So if you have some potatoes and peppers to use up, this is the recipe you've been looking for!

 

 

Bacon fat and/or butter 

Potatoes, peeled (if desired), and sliced

Peppers, sliced

Onions, chopped

1/2 cup milk or cream

4 oz Cheddar cheese, shredded

salt and pepper to taste

 

Melt the bacon fat and/or butter in a large skillet or wide shallow pan over medium heat. Add your potatoes. Let them cook, stirring frequently to make sure they don't stick. If you're pan has a cover, even better. 

 When your potatoes are about halfway done, add your onions and peppers. Continue to stir and saute. Season with salt and pepper. When the potatoes are tender, drizzle in the milk or cream. Give it another stir, then give it a taste and adjust the seasoning, Top with shredded cheese. When the cheese is melted, it's ready to serve. 

 

 

Tips:

This requires more salt than you think it will. Just taste the potatoes and adjust the seasoning before you add the cheese. Want to add other seasonings? DO It! 

Use any kind of potatoes, or peppers or onions you have, I had a bunch of different color peppers, which was perfect. Do you like hot peppers? Go for it!

You really don't even have to peel the potatoes. Just sayin' 

The cream will absorb into the potatoes, so it doesn't really make a sauce. It's more of a velvety coating. I didn't have milk or cream, so I added a small can of evaporated milk. Use what you have!

Use whatever kind of cheese you like, and for Heaven's sake, SHRED YOUR OWN. It melts SO much better, than the pre-shredded.. and seriously, isn't that worth 2 extra minutes?