Cheesy Tomato Zucchini Bake

So I sent this recipe to my future mother-in-law to try, and she made it for us (along with pork tenderloin and cheesy potato patties). All I can say is that eating veggies never tasted so good. Even Eric, who is not a huge fan of zucchini, liked it.

Adapted from here.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 teaspoon basil
2 garlic cloves, minced
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste
2 medium zucchinis, thinly sliced (use a mandolin)
5 plum tomatoes, thinly sliced (use a mandolin)
2 tablespoons onion, minced
3/4 cup panko

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degree. Spray a 9x9-inch casserole dish with cooking spray.

In a large bowl combine cheddar, Parmesan, basil, garlic, onion, salt, and pepper.* Set aside.

Cover the bottom of the casserole dish with the zucchini slices. Sprinkle about a quarter of the herb mixture on top of the slices. Add a layer of tomatoes using about half of the sliced tomatoes the sprinkle with a quarter of the herb mixture. Repeat the layers.

Sprinkle the panko on top of the casserole.

Cover the dish with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil and cook for another 20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender and the panko topping is crisp.

*It is so easy to change up the flavor of the dish by adding different spices. A 1/2 teaspoon of thyme, rosemary, or oregano and you have a new dish!

Enjoy!

~Krissy

Black Bean and Sausage Stovetop Casserole

I spent Memorial Weekend in northern Michigan with my parents at their river-side cabin. Sadly, Eric had to work and couldn't come. My mom doesn't really like to cook, so I told her I'd do all the cooking for the weekend because as you all know, I love it. I introduced my parents to some of my favorite recipes such as my tomato and artichoke chicken (my mom's favorite), turkey burgers with avocado sauce, zucchini chips, and roasted chickpeas. I tested out some new recipes on them too: baked parmesan tomatoes, Alfredo green bean casserole, orange chocolate chip cookies, and this black bean and sausage.

I would like to thank Martha Stewart for this recipe. I only changed a few minor things. It was simple yet full of flavor and incredibly filling.

Parents didn't have a large skillet at the cabin so I used a stock pot.

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 ½ cup carrots, diced small (I used baby carrots)

2/3 cups yellow onion, diced

2 garlic cloves minced

1 pound sausage (I used bratwursts but next time I think I'll use something spicier) 

2 cups chicken broth

2 can black beans (15.5 ounce each), rinsed and drained

Pepper

Directions:

Cut the sausage into 1 inch pieces. Heat oil over a medium-high in a large skillet and add the sausage. Cook until all sides are brown. Remove from pan and transfer to paper towel-lined plate. Add the carrots and onions to the oil and cook until the vegetables soften. Season with pepper. Add garlic and cook until golden brown.

Pour in black beans and broth; bring to a boil. Add the sausage back into the pan, reduce heat to a rapid simmer, and cook until the carrots become tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove the skillet from heat and serve.

I think this was my dad's favorite recipe. After dinner he kept picking at the pot, first eating all the sausage, then the carrots, and finally the beans.

Enjoy!

~Krissy

Cheesy Sausage Potato Casserole

Tonight was one of those nights when I don't know what to make for dinner so I start going through the fridge and pantry to see what we have. I know I need to use up the rest of the potatoes soon. There's smoked sausage in the freezer, a can of cream of chicken in the pantry . . . I can make a casserole! Add some cheddar cheese because cheese makes everything better. And some garlic. Sneak some onions in too. Might turn out awful; might be good. Luckily, it turned out pretty damn good and will be added to my list of dinner ideas in the future.

Ingredients:
1 pound smoked sausage
3 cups thinly sliced potatoes
1 (10.75-ounce) can cream of chicken
1/2 cup milk
3/4 cup cheddar cheese, shredded, plus extra
1 tablespoon onion, minced
1 teaspoon garlic powder
pepper, to taste

Directions:
You can cook the sausage two different ways. I like my sausage broiled so I stuck in the oven on broil for 10 to 15 minutes to blacken it a bit. Or you could brown it on the stove top to add more flavor. You can also use spicy or even sweet sausage, whatever you have on hand. Next time I'll probably use spicy just because that's our favorite kind. Once cooked, cut the sausage into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a 2-quart casserole pan and layer the potatoes in the bottom of it.

In a saucepan, heat the cream of chicken and milk. Add 3/4 cup shredded cheese and stir until the cheese is completely melted. Remove from heat. Stir in onions, garlic powder, pepper, and sausage (I will probably add thyme to the mix next time. I just didn't have any on hand tonight). Pour the mixture over the potatoes. Sprinkle a handful of shredded cheese over the top. Bake for about one hour or until the potatoes become tender.

Enjoy!

~Krissy