Tag Archives: onion

Sausage with Cajun Alfredo

Sausagewithcajunalfredo

I feel like a genius after having made this dinner. This only came about because I thought I had everything I needed for dinner…until time to make dinner and it turns out I had about half. Half one one recipe and half of another.

My first reaction was panic. I’m not usually the “wing it” cook. But, I knew the two recipes well enough that I thought I could mix it. Of course, when Hubs asked what was for dinner I answered with a  “we’ll see!” Turns out, it was a blessing for our tummies!

So I combined my Sausage Pasta with Tomato Cream Sauce (cajun style) with my Cheesy Garlic Chicken Alfredo.

Sausage Cajun Alfredo

You’ll need:

 

 

For the Alfredo:
2 cups milk
4 ounces cream cheese (1/2 a block)
2 Tbs flour
½ tsp salt
3 Tbs butter
1 cup grated Mozzarella cheese ( or Cheddar!)20160516_171323.jpg

For the Sausage pasta:
8+ ounces penne pasta (or whatever you prefer, I used small shells)
12 oz smoked sausage or Chicken!
14-oz can petite diced tomatoes with onion, drained well
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1-2 Tablespoons cajun seasoning
Salt and pepper to taste

What to do:

First, I started my pasta cooking and then made the Alfredo just as I do for the regular recipe:

Use a mixer or blender to mix together the milk, flour, salt, and cream cheese until it is smooth. I also added butter to this mix and heated it until it thickens then added the shredded cheese and let it sit.

Then, while those two were going, I sliced up my sausage and sautéed it and then added my tomatoes and onion, garlic and cajun spices, and a little S&P. Mix well

Finally, once my Alfredo was ready I slowly stirred it into my pan of sausage. making sure to coat everything and mix in the cajun spice. Then I added the pasta and mixed again.

This was one of the best outcomes of not having what you need!! This mix may be one of my favorites!

Cajun Sausage and Potatoes

Cajun Sausage and Potatoes

Cajun Sausage and Potatoes. Well, that’s my version. The original pin came from Recipes from the Big Blue Binder. Their post was for Oven Roasted Sausage and Potatoes. YUM! Over time mine has evolved a bit as you’ll see below.

This is a hearty meal. You can really kick it up in spice or keep it mellow.

You’ll need:

1 package of smoked sausage (slice into rounds, I like to also half the rounds)

1 large onion, peeled and chopped (I typically use half an onion)

5 large potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1/2 inch cubes (I usually use 3-4 potatoes and slice then quarter)

Olive oil

Sea salt

Ground black pepper

Sweet paprika*

Dried thyme*

About a cup grated cheddar cheese

          *in lieu of these two ingredients I use a cajun blend20160502_162044.jpg

Get started:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a 13×9 baking dish with aluminum foil. They suggest drizzling oil over the aluminum foil. I like to just spray with cooking spray.

Then you want to chop chop chop. I like to add thing into a bowl in layers. A little oil and onion with some Cajun mix and the S&P.20160502_162143.jpg

Then add in some potatoes and mix adding extra seasoning/oil as needed to coat. Repeat until onion and potatoes are chopped and added to your mixing bowl and everything is coated.

I cut up my sausage and before adding it to the baking dish, I drizzle a little oil over it and add the Cajun, salt, and pepper spices to it. 20160502_163509.jpg20160502_163709.jpg20160502_163758.jpg

Then I spread it out in the baking dish.

Over that, spread the potato and onion mix and give it all a light mix.

You’ll then bake it for about 45 minutes giving it a stir several times while it cooks.

Last sprinkle your cheddar cheese over the top and let it bake a few minutes more until the cheese is melted.

Serve and enjoy!

 

Manwich Cheesy Chicken Pasta

 

Manwich Cheesy Chicken Pasta

I love cleaning tons of dishes after preparing a meal, said no one ever. One pot meals is where it’s at. So I was thrilled when I saw this next pin. While I didn’t have the EXACT ingredients, it did provide a filling meal.

On this particular day though, I only had frozen chicken on hand. Hubby and I aren’t thrilled with the texture of defrosted chicken so I opted to slow cook it in the crock pot with some chicken broth until dinner. Although technically making my one pot, 2 pots, this is so easy and yummy. So come time for dinner, we had fall apart chicken that was ready to go! This dinner was provided by Yellow Bliss Road.

Manwich Cheesy Chicken Pasta

Ingredients:

2 cups shredded or diced chicken
2 Tbsp minced onion
2 Tbsp minced garlic (I used Garlic powder)
1 can Manwich Bold  + 1 can water (I used the regular)
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 pound of small dry pasta (I used mini Rotini)
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

1. Heat a small amount of oil in a large pot. Add onion and garlic and saute for one minute, then add cooked chicken and saute for a couple of minutes. (She used cooked chicken she had on hand, I used the cooked crock pot chicken. However cooking the chicken with the onions and garlic would work just as well.)

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2. Add chicken broth, Manwich Bold Sloppy Joe Sauce, water and pasta to the pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer for about 20-25 minutes. (Keep an eye on it so all of the liquid doesn’t cook off. Mine was a little dry as I went between cooking and feeding a fussy baby.)

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3. Remove from heat and stir in shredded cheddar until well incorporated, reserving a handful to sprinkle on the top. Cover for a few minutes to allow the cheese to melt, and stir.

Results

So, mine is a little different from the original, but this was still a tasty meal. Lots of leftovers! While it wasn’t completely my taste, the hubby cleaned his plate and asked for seconds which is music to my ears and a pinning success!

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Black Bean and Corn Pie

I feel like a broken record, but this next one is so good! Martha Stewart the queen of cooking, that’s for sure. I have come to realize though, that no matter how I try, my end result will NEVER look like the product in the Martha Stewart picture. But I have made peace with that. I never said I was an expert chef. I just want to provide great meals that my family will love.

Black Bean and corn piefinal

I do believe that once a week we should eat something meatless. This recipe is just for that and other than a great taste, one of the best parts is that you can make numerous changes/substitutions and still enjoy a wonderful meal.

I do however call this one a “weekend meal”. There is a bit more prep before you put it all together to bake in the oven. So the weekend is a great time for hubby and baby to enjoy some extra bonding time while mommy whips up dinner. Here we go:

Ingredients:

4 flour tortillas (10 inches)

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 large onion, diced

1 jalapeño chile, minced (remove seeds and ribs for less heat)

2 garlic cloves, minced (I used garlic powder)

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin (Chili Powder is a good substitute)

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, drained and rinsed

12 ounces beer, or 1 1/2 cups water

1 package (10 ounces) frozen corn

4 scallions, thinly sliced, plus more for garnish

8 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded (2 1/2 cups)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. With a paring knife, trim tortillas to fit a 9-inch springform pan. Use the bottom of the pan as a guide. Set aside. (I used a casserole dish. Having purchased fajita soft tacos on sale this is what I had on hand. Plus, I  unfortunately have never had success with the spring pan for this recipe.)

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2.Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, jalapeno, garlic, and cumin; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5 to 7 minutes.

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3.Add beans and beer or water, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; simmer until liquid has almost evaporated, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in corn and scallions, and remove from heat. Taste and adjust for seasoning. (I didn’t have scallions, first time ever, so I decided to use green chilies. Turned out well. You really want to make sure to wait for the liquid to evaporate.)

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4.Fit a trimmed tortilla in bottom of springform pan; layer with 1/4 of the beans and 1/2 cup of cheese. Repeat three times, using 1 cup cheese on top layer. Bake until cheese melts, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove side of pan; sprinkle pie with scallions. To serve, slice into wedges.

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So below is my finished product. Like I said before, it doesn’t look like Martha’s, but it is a tangy, melty, meatless mix that is filling and makes for a knockout leftover. Add sour cream or hot sauce as you like. I’m eager to try this with some Rotel diced tomatoes added or maybe some pepper jack cheese! Oh the possibilities!

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