Spinach & Sausage Rigatoni Bake

Brown the onions in the bottom of pan

Brown the sausage..drain

Mix ingredients together...




Pour in the pan and top with cheese... sorry I forgot to take a picture of it baked with cheese on top, it looked and tasted wonderful!

you top this with cheese and bake for 30 minutes covered and then 10-15 uncovered... the directions say 15, but I would do no more than 10.


My friend made this for another friend when she had a baby, so I happen to try it one day and asked for the recipe... she is always good for new recipes!  I usually make it with HOT sausage and I didn't this time... I say do it!


Spinach & Sausage Rigatoni Bake

Prep: 15 min., Bake: 1 hr.

Yield: Makes 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

• 8  ounces  uncooked rigatoni
• 1  tablespoon  olive oil
• 1  cup  finely chopped onion (about 1 medium)
• 1  (10-oz.) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed
• 3  cups  cooked, crumbled hot Italian sausage
• 1  (14.5-oz.) can Italian-style diced tomatoes
• 2 (8-oz.) containers chive-and-onion cream cheese
• 2 tbsp heavy whipping cream (just to make it extra moist)
• 1/4  teaspoon  salt
• 1 1/2  cups  (6 oz.) shredded mozzarella cheese

Preparation

1. Prepare rigatoni according to package directions.

2. Meanwhile, spread oil on bottom of an 11- x 7-inch baking dish; add onion in a single layer.

3. Bake at 375° for 15 minutes or just until tender. Transfer onion to a large bowl, and set aside.

4. Drain chopped spinach well, pressing between layers of paper towels.

5. Stir rigatoni, spinach, sausage, and next 3 ingredients into onion in bowl. Spoon mixture into baking dish, and sprinkle evenly with shredded mozzarella cheese.

6. Bake, covered, at 375° for 30 minutes; uncover and bake 15 more minutes or until bubbly.

Susan Runkle, Walton, Kentucky, Southern Living, FEBRUARY 2007

Pioneer Woman's Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf

For the record, the top picture is Daniels Plate, I don't eat that much people... he was hungry!  Okay, so I only was sorta impressed with this recipe.  I thought it was good, but it NEEDS you to add onions and garlic to it.... if you don't, then I wouldn't make it.  But, if you like less flavorful food, then maybe you would like this, I just thought it needed the extra kick.






Pioneer Woman's Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf

Ingredients

• Meatloaf:
• 1 cup Whole Milk
• 6 slices White Bread
• 2 pounds Ground Beef
• 1 cup (heaping) Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
• ¼ teaspoons Seasoned Salt
• ¾ teaspoons Salt
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper
• ⅓ cups Minced Flat-leaf Parsley
• 4 whole Eggs Beaten
• 1 onion minced (should've added this)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced (should've added this)
• 10 slices Thin/regular Bacon
• Sauce:
• 1-½ cup Ketchup
• ⅓ cups Brown Sugar
• 1 teaspoon Dry Mustard
• Tabasco To Taste

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour milk over the bread slices. Allow it to soak in for several minutes.

Place the ground beef, milk-soaked bread, Parmesan, seasoned salt, salt, black pepper, and parsley in a large mixing bowl. Pour in beaten eggs.

With clean hands, mix the ingredients until well combined. Form the mixture into a loaf shape on a broiler pan, which will allow the fat to drain. (Line the bottom of the pan with foil to avoid a big mess!)

Lay bacon slices over the top, tucking them underneath the meatloaf.

Make the sauce: add ketchup, brown sugar, mustard, and hot sauce in a mixing bowl. Stir together. Pour 1/3 of the mixture over the top of the bacon. Spread with a spoon.

Bake for 45 minutes, then pour another 1/3 of the sauce over the top. Bake for another 15 minutes. Slice and serve with remaining sauce.

Serve with mashed potatoes and veggie

General Tso's Chicken

This is kinda a cheater recipe, because I bought the seasoning package in the Asian food aisle on my grocery store... my friend referred me to it... Very yummy and they had several other seasonings I want to try. 

General Tso's Chicken


Ingredients:
1lb Boneless Skinless Chicken (Cut into cubes)
1/4 cup of Flour
1/2 cup water
3 tbsp Soy Sauce
1/4 cup of Sugar
The seasoning package
3 tbsp oil


First you cut up the chicken in cubes, toss in a plastic bag with the flour.  Brown the meat in the oil in a large pan. In a separate bowl, mix water, soy sauce, sugar and seasoning together... when meat is browned on both sides and cooked in the center, pour the mixture on top of chicken, bring to boil, then decide your desired consistency.


I served over white rice, but you could be more healthy and serve over Brown Rice!




I have to say that I hope you find the same package because the recipe is on the back of the package.  The brand I used was Sunbird, it was in a yellow package with some orange on it.

Baking a Bun in my Oven

I'm currently baking a bun in my oven, due July 18th, 2011! Soooo, that is why I haven't posted many recipes, I have lost my appetite for food and cooking. It is finally coming back so I will be posting more soon! :)

Thanks for being patient

Cheeks Cheesy Potatoes

A holiday staple... or should I say a staple at any Cheek-family meal!

Cheesy Potatoes

6 potatoes, cooked, cooled, pealed and then grated

1 cup sour cream

2 cups shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese

3/4 cup chopped scallions

1/3 stick of butter

Boil potatoes until tender, but not too tender or they don't grate well, so make sure you don't over cook them.  Peel and grate the potatoes.  Mix together sour cream, cheese, and butter. Mix in Potatoes, then add salt and pepper to taste.  Top with some remaining cheese.  Bake in a 9 x 13 pan at 350 for 45 minutes

Oh so delicious!

Aunt Connies Chicken Rice Soup

Not my Aunt Connie, but a lady from where I did my student teaching in Michigan, she brought this soup in for a staff lunch day and it was soooo good that EVERYONE begged for the recipe. 

Like We have concluded, I am super lazy and have no pictures, but take my word for it, this is some amazing soup and great for a cold day!

Aunt Connies Chicken Rice Soup

4 tbsp butter

1 medium onion chopped

1 cup of carrots chopped

1 cup of celery finely chopped

6 cups of chicken stock

1/2 cup to 1 cup rice uncooked

salt and pepper to taste

1 cup milk

1 cup half & half

1 1/2 cups of grated cheddar cheese (I always add more cause I like cheese)

2 cups diced cooked chicken

In a large pot melt butter and cook onion until soft and transparent, but not brown...

Add celery and carrot, cook 5 minutes..

Add stock, rice and seasonings.  cook partially covered for about 30-45 minutes until veggies are tender..

Add milk, cream, chicken and just before serving; stir in cheese.  Heat, but don't boil.  

(I always double this recipes because the left overs are the best)

Milk Punch

no picture sorry, I'm still lazy and haven't bought more space... but enjoy!

Milk Punch

3tbsp Bourbon

1/4 cup whole milk

1/4 cup heavy cream

3/4 teaspon confectioners sugar 

1 drop Vanilla extract

1/4 cup of crushed ice

Ground nutmeg for garnish

combine ingredients in a shaker, cover and shake, serve cold... great little treat... :)

I know....

I know I promised all these recipes, but I still haven't gotten around to purchasing more room to post pictures on Blogger yet, so i might just post the recipes to view and post the pictures at a later date!


I haven't been doing a lot of cooking lately, I swear there is a good reason for it.  But I think that will change and I will be cooking more again soon, so stay tuned.  I am also cooking a lot of things I have already posted... but don't give up on me, I will be back soon, so keep checking!