Tater tot cassaroles come in many flavors and varieties. They are traditional fare at gatherings all over the Southeastern states. I took a typical, basic recipe and spiffed it up a little!
Tater Tot Cassarole
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
8 oz sour cream
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1 8 oz block of cream cheese, room temp
1 cup of milk
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp salt
Mix these together and set aside.
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
1 medium onion, chopped
2-3 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 poblano or similar pepper, chopped
2-4 tomatillos, chopped
1 pound hamburger
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp Chili 3000
1 Tbsp adobo
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp or more, salt (to taste)
In a large skillet, heat EVOO over medium heat and add onions, garlic, pepper, and tomatillos. Cook until tender, then add the hamburger. Saute until the hamburger is no longer pink, and stir in spices, salt and pepper. Combine with the sour cream mixture. Layer this mix into the bottom of a cassarole dish, and top with:
1 bag frozen tater tots
Bake at 350 for 45-60 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese for the last 10 minutes if desired.
Easy veggie booster - add a can of peas, broccoli, diced tomatoes, or shredded carrots when you mix the sour cream mixture into the meat.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Pasta e Fagioli
Some of my friends and I were talking about our favorite soups from Olive Garden, and Carrie said she had an approximation of OG's Pasta e Fagioli, so I asked her for it. I tweaked it to fit our palette and cooking style. Thanks Carrie!! Enjoy!
Pasta e Fagioli
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion chopped
3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 cup of carrots, chopped
1-2 poblano or other mild peppers, chopped
2 stalks of celery chopped
1 lb of hamburger
1-2 cans petite diced tomatoes with juice
2 cans of kidney beans (drained and rinsed)
2 cans of cannelini beans (drained and rinsed)
24 ounces of beef broth
12 ounces of spaghetti sauce
1 Tbsp dried Italian seasoning
1 Tbsp ground pepper
1-2 tsp ground red pepper or crushed red pepper flakes
8-10 oz daltini pasta (half a box) tiny tube pasta (or elbow etc.)
In your stock pot (or in a skillet if you will put this in a crock pot later), heat the EVOO over medium high heat. Add onion and garlic and let the onion soften. Add carrots, peppers and celery, and cook until tender. Remove from pot. Add the hamburger, brown then drain and rinse (removes the unhealthy fat). Add onion mixture back in, then add the remaining ingredients. Simmer until the pasta is tender.
NOTE: if you are using a crock pot, you will need to cook the pasta separately in boiling salted water (follow manufacturers directions) before adding it to the soup. The pasta will not continue to soften.
Pasta e Fagioli
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion chopped
3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 cup of carrots, chopped
1-2 poblano or other mild peppers, chopped
2 stalks of celery chopped
1 lb of hamburger
1-2 cans petite diced tomatoes with juice
2 cans of kidney beans (drained and rinsed)
2 cans of cannelini beans (drained and rinsed)
24 ounces of beef broth
12 ounces of spaghetti sauce
1 Tbsp dried Italian seasoning
1 Tbsp ground pepper
1-2 tsp ground red pepper or crushed red pepper flakes
8-10 oz daltini pasta (half a box) tiny tube pasta (or elbow etc.)
In your stock pot (or in a skillet if you will put this in a crock pot later), heat the EVOO over medium high heat. Add onion and garlic and let the onion soften. Add carrots, peppers and celery, and cook until tender. Remove from pot. Add the hamburger, brown then drain and rinse (removes the unhealthy fat). Add onion mixture back in, then add the remaining ingredients. Simmer until the pasta is tender.
NOTE: if you are using a crock pot, you will need to cook the pasta separately in boiling salted water (follow manufacturers directions) before adding it to the soup. The pasta will not continue to soften.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Stolen Recipes!!
I "borrowed" these recipes from my friend Tiffany's blog because I didn't want to forget to try them. Any mental association with the movie Hoodwinked is purely intentional!
Turkey Chili & Golden Sweet Cornbread
This Chili is pretty kid friendly! I recommend pureeing the bean if the kids have issues eating beans like mine!
Turkey Chili Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chopped onions
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/4 cup chopped yellow bell peppers
1 pound ground turkey
1 (28-ounce) can crushed organic tomatoes, undrained
1 (16-ounce) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon sugar
2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon hot sauce (recommended: Tabasco)
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
In a large skillet, saute onions, garlic and bell peppers in olive oil over medium heat until onions are translucent. Add ground turkey and cook until browned.
Add remaining ingredients and stir well to combine. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
Golden Sweet Cornbread Ingredients:
1 cup corn meal
1 cup flour
2/3 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla
3 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 egg
1 cup milk
1/3 cup vegetable/canola oil
Honey squeeze bottle
Preheat oven to 400.
In a large bowl soak cornmeal w/ milk for 30 minutes.
Add flour, sugar, vanilla, salt, baking powder. Stir in egg and oil. Mix well.
Pour in individually lined 12-cup muffin tin/stone and bake for 20-25 minutes.
After the muffins have cooled a bit, squeeze a little honey over the top. It will add a nice glaze and prevent them from crumbling!
Turkey Chili & Golden Sweet Cornbread
This Chili is pretty kid friendly! I recommend pureeing the bean if the kids have issues eating beans like mine!
Turkey Chili Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chopped onions
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/4 cup chopped yellow bell peppers
1 pound ground turkey
1 (28-ounce) can crushed organic tomatoes, undrained
1 (16-ounce) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon sugar
2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon hot sauce (recommended: Tabasco)
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
In a large skillet, saute onions, garlic and bell peppers in olive oil over medium heat until onions are translucent. Add ground turkey and cook until browned.
Add remaining ingredients and stir well to combine. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
Golden Sweet Cornbread Ingredients:
1 cup corn meal
1 cup flour
2/3 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla
3 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 egg
1 cup milk
1/3 cup vegetable/canola oil
Honey squeeze bottle
Preheat oven to 400.
In a large bowl soak cornmeal w/ milk for 30 minutes.
Add flour, sugar, vanilla, salt, baking powder. Stir in egg and oil. Mix well.
Pour in individually lined 12-cup muffin tin/stone and bake for 20-25 minutes.
After the muffins have cooled a bit, squeeze a little honey over the top. It will add a nice glaze and prevent them from crumbling!
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