Sausage and Potatoes

This is one of those meals you can make in any season of the year.  It is a comfort meal you and your family is sure to enjoy.  It requires four ingredients, but is packed with so much flavor.  Although my recipe is great, I always request this meal when I visit my parents.  My mom must be keeping an ingredient from me :).  Enjoy!

Recipe: Sausage and Potatoes

Ingredients:

Turkey Sausage or regular pork sausage

1 small onion chopped

1 green bell pepper chopped

Your favorite kind of potatoes sliced (no skin)

Seasonings: Season All, Garlic Powder, Black Pepper, Cayenne Pepper

Directions:

1. Peel your potatoes.  Rinse them off, then slice them like potato chips.  Season the potatoes with the seasonings listed above (or you can just use salt and pepper).  In a large skillet, place some canola cooking oil in the pot (just enough to cover the bottom of the pan).  Cook your potatoes until they are a light brown on both sides (you don't want them to cook like french fries).  I cooked for about 5-10minutes (constantly stirring/tossing).  

2. In a separate skillet, cook your sausage (do not put any oil in the pot, because it will make it's own grease).  After about 5 minutes, add the chopped onion and bell pepper.  (I seasoned my onion and bell pepper with salt, pepper, and garlic before I put it in the pot with the sausage).  Cook until the onions and peppers are tender.  

3. Using a spoon with slotted holes, take the potatoes out of their skillet and add to the skillet with the sausage and onions.  Mix well.  Turn heat down to medium low.  Add a little water (for a gravy) to the pot.  Cover and let it cook for about 5-10 minutes (until potatoes are tender (not falling apart) and there is a little gravy/juice).  Be sure to stir the mixture every couple of minutes (to avoid potatoes sticking to bottom of pot, to determine if you need more water, etc.). 

4. You can serve this meal by itself, with bread, or like my mom with RICE.  I know it's two starches, but it's so good, especially with the gravy.  I also like to serve with some type of bread (Hawaiian rolls, garlic bread, etc.).  This meal is even better the next day!

Dinner and Dessert Combo!

I have two recipes for you this week!  A little while back, we went to the local farmers market and they had these vibrant colored bell peppers.  They looked so fresh, so I couldn't pass up the opportunity to purchase some.  That same week, some co-workers and I went out to lunch at Applebee's.  Someone at the table next to us had ordered some type of fajitas.  They smelled AMAZING.  I had taken chicken out earlier in the day, thought about my bell peppers, and I instantly knew what was for dinner!  The first recipe is simple, fast, and should be a hit at the dinner table... Chicken Fajitas.

The second recipe was inspired by my friend Diane.  A few of us went to her house for a dinner and for dessert she had this beautifully displayed dessert.  Mostly everyone who knows me can tell you I am a selective chocolate eater.  Although, I did not have a lot of the dessert because it was chocolate, I can tell you my eyes ate everything in the trifle bowl because of how great it looked.  I called Diane for the recipe when I found out I was in charge of dessert for a dinner party.  Very happy about how few ingredients it required, how quick it was to make, and how amazingly tasty it came out.  I also love how adaptable this recipe is.  

Next week, I will be posting a Southern dish that is really easy and very filling.  Happy cooking and baking everyone!

Recipe: Chicken Fajitas 

Ingredients: 

Chicken Strips

1 Red, Yellow, and Green Bell Pepper Sliced

Fajita Seasoning Mix

Seasonings: Season All, Garlic, black pepper, and paprika

Shredded cheese

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Thoroughly rinse your chicken strips.  Season with the seasonings listed above to taste.  Place in a baking dish. Set aside. 

2. In a skillet, place a little cooking oil or canola oil.  Add your sliced peppers and cook until somewhat tender.  If you want, you can add a little seasoning to those as well (black pepper, salt, and garlic).  

3. Add the fajita seasoning (look at packet instructions) to the peppers and immediately remove from the stove.  Add the peppers and sauce to the seasoned chicken.  

4. Cover and bake in the oven for about 30 minutes.  I cooked on one side for 15 minutes.  Turned the chicken over and cooked on the other side for 15 minutes.  

5. Uncover.  Get some flour tortillas, make your fajita, and serve.  You have the option of having salsa, sour cream, shredded cheese.  I am sure you will be using your flour tortilla to make sure you get all the excess juice that falls on your plate :). 

Recipe: Oreo Cookie Trifle

 Ingredients:

• 1 box of milk chocolate brownies (plus the ingredients needed for the brownies)
• 1 Large container of cool whip
• 1 Package of Oreo Cookies (you will need to crush/chop)
• 1 large box of instant chocolate pudding (or two small boxes)
• Optional: Caramel or chocolate fudge for a topping

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven for brownies.  Make brownies according to package instructions. 

2. Make the instant pudding according to package instructions. 

3. Chop/Crunch your Oreo cookies in a large zip lock bag. 

4. Start layering your trifle:

       a. Layer of brownies (just crumble or scoop and spread around)

       b. Layer of Chocolate Pudding (spread evenly over brownies)

       c. Layer of Cool Whip (spread evenly over pudding)

       d. Layer of Crushed Oreos (spread all around)

       e. Repeat

5. Add some crushed Oreos all over the top.  If you want, you can drizzle some caramel or fudge on top of that!

6. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve

**Make sure your brownies are cool before you start to assemble your trifle. 

White Chicken and Artichoke Lasagna

Never thought I would be cooking this recipe, much less eating and enjoying it.  I know when I go to restaurants, for the most part I love spinach and artichoke dip, but to have it in a lasagna...was not sure about that.  Although it is not your traditional lasagna recipe, it was quite refreshing and surprisingly very good.  I was very worried, because I didn't see as much "sauce" or "cream," but it was perfect.  My husband would NOT take a bite of it until I ate it.  He looked very carefully at my facial expressions and whether or not I finished my serving of it.  He is very use to his grandmother's famous lasagna and this was very much different.  When I make this again, I will blend the cream cheese and milk mixture a little more and add more of the sun dried tomatoes.  All in all, I think it is a great recipe and you should definitely give it a try if you want something other than the traditional lasagna.  Happy cooking everyone!

Recipe: White Chicken and Artichoke Lasagna

Picture courtesy of Pinterest

Ingredients:
2 cups boneless skinless chicken breast, cooked and shredded
1 jar (14 oz.) artichoke hearts, chopped (I purchased the seasoned artichokes)

3/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes (found in the produce department)
1 pkg. (8 oz.) KRAFT Shredded Mozzarella Cheese with a Touch of PHILADELPHIA, divided
1/2 cup KRAFT Grated Parmesan Cheese
2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
1 cup milk
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 cup basil, chopped

1/2 tbsp of crushed red pepper flakes
12 lasagna noodles, cooked

Directions
1. Heat oven to 350°F.
2. Combine chicken, artichokes, tomatoes, 1 cup mozzarella, crushed red pepper flakes and Parmesan.

*For the chicken, I placed about 2tbsp of oil in a large skillet.  I seasoned my chicken with season all, garlic powder, black pepper, and a little cayenne pepper.  I fried on both sides until it was just a little pink inside.  I then used my Pampered Chef food processor and chopped the chicken finely.  

3. Beat cream cheese, milk, and garlic powder with mixer until well blended; stir in 2 Tbsp. basil. 

4. Mix half with the chicken mixture.
5. Spread half of the remaining cream cheese sauce onto bottom of 13×9-inch baking dish; cover with 3 noodles and 1/3 of the chicken mixture. Repeat layers of noodles and chicken mixture twice. 

6. Top with remaining cheese sauce and mozzarella; cover.  Bake 25 min. or until heated through. 

7. Sprinkle with remaining basil.  Enjoy and serve!