Chili

Everyone likes their chili a certain way; super spicy or medium hot, with or without meat, with or without beans. In true Scandinavian fashion, our version of chili is pretty bland, but people who try it love it because it is so different from other chili recipes. Our recipe uses meat AND beans, but you can leave out the meat and add in a can of corn to make a vegetarian version. 

Adding toppings to the chili can make it your own; toss in some shredded cheese, crackers, sour cream, sliced green onions, or jalapenos to spice it up.

I usually make a double batch of chili; it freezes beautifully, and is great to pull out on a cold day when I don't have time to cook. I like to serve it with a warm slice of homemade cornbread that has been slathered with butter and a drizzle of honey.

Chili                                                                                                  Printable Version

1 lb. ground hamburger or turkey

1 medium onion, chopped

1 can Campbell's Tomato Soup

2 soup cans of water

1 large can crushed tomatoes

1 can light red kidney beans, drained

1 can black beans, drained

1 can chili beans, with the juice

1 Tbsp. chili powder (as hot as you like it)

1 tsp. ground Ancho chili pepper

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 Tbsp. brown sugar

1 dried bay leaf

In a large pot over medium-high heat, brown the meat with the onion. Turn the heat to low and add in the tomato soup, then use the soup can to add two cans of water. Add the crushed tomatoes, kidney beans, black beans, and chili beans and stir together well. Sprinkle in the chili powder, Ancho chili pepper, cumin, and brown sugar and stir to combine. Stir in the dried bay leaf. At this point you can add more water, depending on how thick you like your chili.

Let the chili simmer for an hour, remove the bay leaf, dish into bowls, and serve with cornbread and toppings.

Chicken with Mushroom Marsala Sauce

Chicken Marsala is one of our family's favorite dishes to share when we are lucky enough to go to the restaurant Buca di Beppo. We usually fight over who gets the last piece of chicken. It's flavorful, juicy, and is one of those things you eat and ask "what IS that I'm tasting?" It's the Marsala wine that makes it so good, and the recipe calls for a whole bottle, making this somewhat of a luxury meal. I've tried both dry and sweet Marsala in this, and either one is wonderful. The recipe might sound intimidating, but it's really very easy and quick to make, and worth the price.

Over the years I've messed with this dish to try to match the recipe at Buca, and I know I'll never master it, but this is pretty darn close. Served with some garlic mashed potatoes and a good glass of wine, it's an awesome meal.

Season the chicken with salt and pepper.  Pour the flour into a shallow dish and dredge the chicken in the flour. Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat, then add the chicken and saute until golden brown on both sides. Remove the chicken and set aside.

Add the mushrooms to the remaining pan drippings and saute for a couple of minutes. 

Carefully pour in the Marsala wine (do this off the flame if you have a gas stove) and raise the temperature to medium high to bring the sauce to a low boil. Cook until the sauce has reduced by half.

Remove the pan from the heat and stir the butter into the sauce.  This will give it a nice glossy finish.

Divide the chicken breasts onto separate plates and pour the mushroom Marsala sauce equally over the top. Serve with garlic mashed potatoes.

CHICKEN WITH MUSHROOM MARSALA SAUCE                                             Printable Version

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast or tenderloins
Salt and pepper
Flour for dredging
Olive oil
One 8 oz. container button mushrooms
32 oz. bottle of Marsala wine (sweet or dry)
1/4 c. butter

Season the chicken with salt and pepper.  Pour the flour into a shallow dish and dredge the chicken in the flour. Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat, then add the chicken and saute until golden brown on both sides. Remove the chicken and set aside. Add the mushrooms to the remaining pan drippings and saute for a couple of minutes. Carefully pour in the Marsala wine and raise the temperature to medium high to bring the sauce to a simmer, then cook until the sauce has reduced by half. Remove the pan from the heat and stir the butter into the sauce.

Place the chicken breasts on separate plates and pour the mushroom Marsala sauce equally over the top. Serve with garlic mashed potatoes.

Minnesota Chow Mein

Now that there is an abundance of fresh venison in our freezers, we can make one of our very favorite dishes, Chow Mein. 

I call it "Minnesota Chow Mein", because it's not like any Chinese food you would buy at your local restaurant. I guess it's a lot like using the term "Tex-Mex"; it tastes like Chinese food, it looks like Chinese food, but uses less of the traditional ingredients you would find in a traditional Chinese recipe. I snuck in a few teaspoons of sesame oil when I made it this time, and it added a bit of modern flair that we really liked, but I'm sure that wasn't a pantry staple in Northern Minnesota when this recipe was created. 

My Great-Grandma Ethel's ability to make meals that 50 years ago were truly "ahead of her time" was amazing. Some day we will talk about her adventures in "Sweet and Sour Spam". But for today, let's enjoy a warm bowl of her chow mein, shall we?

Add the oil to a large saucepan.  Add the cubed meats, onion, soy sauce, and pepper and brown until the onions have softened. 

Add enough water to almost cover the meat and onions.  Let simmer over low heat for one hour until the meat has become tender, stirring occasionally, and adding more water if needed to keep it from sticking to the bottom of the pan.

Add in the mushrooms, celery, bean sprouts, and water chestnuts.  Add a bit more pepper if you like.

Use the empty can from the bean sprouts and fill it with water, adding two cans total to the pot. 

Let the chow mein cook for another 30-45 minutes until the vegetables are as tender as you would like them to be. Some people prefer a bit more crunch to their chow mein vegetables, so watch the pot and take it off the heat when it's where you want it to be.

Serve the chow mein in a big bowl and top with crunchy chow mein noodles and additional soy sauce if you prefer a saltier dish.

Minnesota Chow Mein                                                                 Printable Version

1 T. olive or vegetable oil

Pork round steak, cubed

Venison or beef steak, cubed

1 large onion, coarsely chopped

2 tbsp. soy sauce

1 tsp. black pepper

Water

1 pkg button mushrooms, sliced thickly

1 pkg celery, sliced thickly, on the diagonal

1 can bean sprouts

1 can water chestnuts, sliced

2 cans of water (use the bean sprout can)

Crunchy Chow Mein noodles

Additional soy sauce, if desired

Add the oil to a large saucepan.  Add the cubed meats, onion, soy sauce, and pepper and brown until the onions have softened. Add enough water to almost cover the meat and onions.  Let simmer over low heat for one hour until the meat has become tender, stirring occasionally, and adding more water as needed to keep it from sticking to the bottom of the pan.

Add in the mushrooms, celery, bean sprouts, and water chestnuts and stir together well. Use the empty can from the bean sprouts and fill it with water, adding two cans total to the pot. Let the chow mein cook for another 30-45 minutes until the vegetables are as tender as you would like them to be. Serve in a bowl and top with crunchy chow mein noodles and additional soy sauce if you prefer a saltier dish.

Liver and Onions with Bacon

We have been very fortunate to have a few deer to put in the freezer this hunting season. So it's been back to "The Shop" to cut it up, then a jaunt back to Mom's kitchen to wrap and label. Dad even bought a new little freezer this year to store the extra meat in, which means we have certainly been blessed with meat to last us quite a while.

Our family has always taken it upon ourselves to cut up our own venison, then we bring it to our local Locker Plant to have the scraps made into burger, deer sticks, summer sausage, and Polish sausage. The steaks, tenderloins, stew meat, and roasts are wrapped and popped in the freezer while we wait for the rest to be ready, thinking about that first juicy burger that will hit our plate soon.

Mom's a bit squeamish about all the blood involved, and has to take a break now and then, but she's a trooper for sure. She is a "Professional Meat Wrapper", and beyond the "Neck Soup with Barley" that Dad makes out of the neck meat right away, she is the creator of all the yummy meals that use what Dad worked so hard to provide for us.

It's a family event that has been mastered over my Dad's 62 years of deer hunting.  He wields the knife and saw like the pro that he is.  He has not missed a year in the woods since he was 10 years old, and he now takes The Kid and I out with him to pass on his legacy. I can't imagine a better man to teach us.

Back in the day, when I was a younger gal, Mom would use the liver from the deer to make "Liver and Onions". Nowadays, you have to worry about diseases, and it's not recommended that you use the organ meat from a deer. But let me tell you, if a friend or family member happens to buy a cow, and is willing to bring us the liver, the skillet is comin' out folks.

Liver and onions is one of those dishes your kids are gonna freak out about.  In my house we have a rule, The Kid has to try ONE BITE of something new, as much as he doesn't think he will like it. Then if it's as gross as he figures, he doesn't have to eat any more of it. Happily this rule has lead to him to liking A LOT of foods that he never would have known he really liked. He even enjoys some of Grandpa's creations that even I can't swallow, like radish sandwiches and raw onions. 

If you are so inclined, and you have no health issues (liver is high in cholesterol and iron), dietary or personal preferences that would keep you from making this dish, give it a go. Just the fact that it's smothered in bacon and onions makes you want to at least try a bite.  This is a dish we only get to make once every few years or so, and to say we enjoy it is an understatement.

We have found that serving liver with a bit of classic yellow mustard gives it an awesome tang, and cuts back on the gamey flavor of the meat.  Our side dish is always boiled potatoes, topped with melted butter and some salt and pepper.

LIVER AND ONIONS WITH BACON               Printable Version

Beef liver

1 lb. bacon

1 large yellow onion

1 c. all-purpose flour

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. pepper

Boiled potatoes

Classic yellow mustard

Separate the bacon into slices.  Slice up the yellow onion. In a large skillet, fry the bacon and onions until the bacon is cooked and the onions are soft.  Remove from the pan to a plate, leaving the bacon drippings in the pan.

Stir together the flour, salt and pepper in a shallow bowl.  Slice the beef liver into 1/4" thick slices.  Dip the liver in the flour mixture and coat both sides.  Fry in the bacon grease until browned on both sides.  Add the cooked bacon and onions back into the pan.

Pour onto a large platter.  Serve with a squirt of yellow mustard for dipping the liver, and boiled potatoes with butter.

Ducks and Pheasant and Geese, Oh My!

The majority of our meals come from the land and the water that surrounds us.  But during a few special months of the year, our meals come from the AIR.

From my Great-Great Grandpa George and Grandma Ethel...

to my dad and brother...

we enjoy bird hunting, and LOVE bird eating.

Dad used to hand harvest wild rice every Summer, and it would be used in this recipe for "Partridge Hot Dish". Wild rice can be purchased in the grocery store, just look for the kind that isn't commercially made. Commercially made wild rice is almost black in color, and tastes NOTHING like the brown wild rice that is hand harvested. Believe me, it's worth every extra penny to get the real stuff.  

This hot dish can be made with any kind of bird; grouse, pheasant, goose, duck. Some boneless chicken breasts would even work in a pinch. As long as you have a bed of wild rice to nestle it into, it will be wonderful.

Crack open a can of cranberry sauce to serve along side this for a little zing.

Partridge Hot Dish                              Printable Version

Two birds, cleaned and cut up into chunks

Olive oil

1 c. onions, diced

1 c. celery, diced

1 c. cooked wild rice

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 c.water

1 can peas

1 can mushrooms

4 Tbsp. soy sauce

Measure 1/2 cup of wild rice into a large glass bowl. Wash and rinse it with cold water until the water is no longer cloudy.  Bring 3 cups water to a boil in a medium pot. Add the wild rice, then reduce the heat to maintain a low boil. Cook until the rice is tender, about 45 minutes.  Drain the rice in a fine-mesh colander so as not to lose any grains down the drain.  Pour 1 cup of the cooked rice into a large bowl. You can use what's left for another dish, or just sprinkle it with some salt and pepper and eat it as a side.

In a medium skillet, add olive oil, onions and celery and cook until both are soft and nicely browned.  Add this to the bowl of wild rice. Stir in the cream of mushroom soup, water, peas, mushrooms, and soy sauce.

Brown the partridge in olive oil.  Stir it into the wild rice mixture.

Coat a 2 qt. baking dish with non-stick cooking spray and spread the mixture into it. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for about an hour.  Serve with cranberry sauce on the side.

Swiss Steak with Mushrooms

I had to do some digging for this recipe, because even though our family's meals over the years have always revolved around venison, we haven't been lucky enough to have a freezer full of it for a while.  Mom reminded me how to cook it properly, and argued with me about adding sherry to the sauce, but agreed it might be a nice touch; she will be trying it that way "next time". I use all of our family recipes to a "T", but I like to add a little of my own flair to the pot sometimes.

"Swiss Steak with Mushrooms" utilizes one of the tougher cuts of venison, round steak. But after beating it into submission and simmering it for an hour with some sauteed mushrooms and onions, it turns into a melt-in your-mouth meal.

Some people don't like venison because they say it's too tough, or too "gamey", but cooked this way, it's amazing. You will become a venison fan overnight.

You can add a dash of sherry to the sauce before you start the simmering process, or go the Meatballs and Mashed Potatoes with Mushroom Gravy route and add a can of mushroom soup and some milk to produce a thicker gravy after it's done simmering.

Good luck in the woods this weekend!

Swiss Steak with Mushrooms                    Printable Version

Fresh white button mushrooms, sliced
Medium yellow onion, sliced
Olive or vegetable oil
Round steak
Flour
Salt
Pepper
Sherry (optional)

In a large frying pan, add the olive or vegetable oil.  Add in the sliced mushrooms and onions and cook until the onions are soft.  Remove from the pan into a bowl, leaving any drippings behind.  You will add these back in later in the cooking process.

Pound the round steak to about 1/4" thickness with a meat tenderizer. In a shallow dish, mix together the flour, salt and pepper. Dredge the pieces of meat in the flour mixture. Add a bit more oil to the frying pan and brown the meat until almost cooked through (it's good to leave venison a little red in the middle, it will continue cooking in the sauce). Pour the cooked mushrooms and onions back into the pan, cover with water, stir in a dash of sherry if you wish, and let it simmer on low for about an hour, stirring occasionally and adding more water as needed so the pan doesn't get dry.

Serve the steak right from the pan with the sauce, or remove the meat to a plate and add a can of mushroom soup and some milk to the pan to make a thicker gravy. Heat the soup through before serving the gravy over mashed potatoes.

Venison

Our family hunts; birds, deer, elk, moose...Dad has passed on his knowledge and techniques through two generations, so far. Growing up we always had venison in the freezer, and processing and packaging it is a family affair.

We cut up our own deer, and bring part of it to a local meat locker to have it mixed with beef for ground meat. The rest is cut up into tenderloins, pounding steaks, and stew meat.

Thanks to a City bow hunt that Dad participated in this fall, we have already been able to eat some fresh venison steaks and burgers, but there is still room in the freezer for more!  Deer sticks and summer sausage are my favorites, so I'm hoping the next deer we get will be dedicated to them.

The kid finally learned the wrapping process, and was in charge of tape.  

Dad made this handy dandy paper cutter many years ago, and was in charge of ripping off just the right size sheets of freezer paper.

Mmmm...tenderloins.  These will be made into Swiss Steak with Mushrooms very soon.

We started hunting with Dad last year, and though we didn't see a thing, learning patience and enjoying some bologna sandwiches and Pringles in the deer stand was sure fun.  This year we will hopefully get to enjoy the full hunting experience, from shooting to eating.

Mom's Beef and Bean Tacos, and a Neat Trick

Tacos seem like a quick and easy thing to make, but if you're the one doing all the topping chopping, you know that isn't true. Of course you can buy a lot of things already shredded or cut up for you, but it still takes some time to put it all together. We didn't have tacos for dinner very often when I was growing up, but when we did, it was a true fiesta.

Heat your oven to 250 degrees. Lay some hard taco shells out in a single layer on a baking sheet.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground meat. Turn the heat to low, sprinkle the taco seasoning over the meat, then pour the water over the top. Stir everything together well and let it simmer until thickened.

The unique part of Mom's recipe is the addition of refried beans. If you don't like refried beans, by all means leave them out.  But if your game, stir them into the meat mixture. Not only is this really, really good, but it will extend the amount of filling you have. And a plate of nachos topped with some leftover taco meat for lunch the next day is not a bad thing.

About 5 minutes before you are ready to eat, pop the sheet of taco shells in the oven. You will keep these warm while you eat, and can grab a couple when people ask for seconds. Or thirds. If you want to have soft tortillas as well, wrap them up in some aluminum foil and toss them into the oven about 10 minutes before you expect to eat, as they will take a bit longer to heat through. When you sit down to the table, turn off the oven so the shells don't burn, but will still stay warm.

You could also warm the shells and tortillas in your microwave, but "back in the day" we didn't have a microwave. And warming them in the oven produces a much yummier result. Take the time to flip on your oven, it will be worth it.

Get together your toppings and set them out in individual bowls to make a "taco bar".

Dad's trick to avoid having your taco turn into a broken mess right after you take the first bite, and having to eat the rest off your plate with a fork, is what we call an "Open-Faced Taco".

Take a warmed taco shell out of the oven and CAREFULLY break it in half. Place it on your plate.

Spread on some of the meat and bean mixture...

add shredded cheese to get it melting...

top with some of "Heather's Salsa"...

add some sliced black olives...

then finish off with some lettuce, a dab of sour cream, and some fresh tomatoes...

or squirt on some Ranch dressing instead (kids will love this).

Of course you can use other toppings like taco sauce, jalapeno slices, diced green pepper, raw onion, diced avocado, corn kernels...and make each taco exactly how you like it.  A dab of "Guacamole with Options" would also be fantastic.

Making an open-faced taco means you get a taste of every topping in every bite.  It does require being able to hold the half shell with a firm hand, so kids might want to stick with the traditional method. You can also slap a soft tortilla on your plate and wrap the toppings up inside.

However you choose to make them, tacos made at home taste oodles better than those you buy at one of those taco joints, and are much healthier to boot.

MOM'S BEEF AND BEAN TACOS                              Printable Version

1 lb. ground beef or ground turkey
1 packet taco seasoning
3/4 c. water
1 box taco shells, white or yellow corn (whichever you prefer)
1 package tortillas, flour or corn
Cheddar cheese, shredded
Lettuce, chopped
Tomato, diced
Black olives, sliced
Salsa
Sour cream
Ranch dressing

Any other toppings you enjoy: taco sauce, jalapeno slices, green peppers, raw onion, diced avocado, corn kernels

Preheat your oven to 250 degrees.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground meat. Turn the heat to low, sprinkle the taco seasoning over the meat, and pour the water over the top. Stir everything together well and let it simmer until thickened.

While the meat is simmering (about 5 minutes before you are ready to eat), lay some hard taco shells out in a single layer on a baking sheet and pop them in the oven. You will keep these warm in the oven while you eat, and can grab a couple when people ask for seconds. Or thirds. If you want to have soft tortillas as well, wrap them up in some aluminum foil and toss them into the oven about 10 minutes before you expect to eat, as they will take a bit longer to heat through.

Fill your taco shells or tortillas with meat and toppings.

Meatballs and Mashed Potatoes with Mushroom Gravy

One meal I make every week is some version of meatballs; with spaghetti sauce and noodles, on sub rolls with a splash of marinara sauce and some melted mozzarella, and in this dish with mashed potatoes and gravy.

You can take the time to make your own meatballs, fry or bake them, then use them in this dish, but for me, the "store brand" meatballs my local Target store has in the freezer section are just the ticket. They come in beef, turkey, or Italian flavors, and all you need to do is pour them into the pan with a little water and go.

After the water cooks down, let the meatballs continue to cook a bit until they are nicely browned; I've found that getting that nice crust on your meat gives all your dishes a richer depth of flavor. Turn your heat to low after the meatballs are done.

Then you add a can of this stuff...I have every flavor of Campbell's cream soup in my pantry, and in a lot of the recipes we keep it is a main component, especially when we are aiming for that comfort food vibe.

Pour the soup into the pan, then add a half a soup can of milk. Add in a dash of Worcestershire sauce and some dried parsley, and stir it all together until mixed well. Let this lightly simmer on the stove while you prepare your mashed potatoes.

I mentioned in a previous post the wonder that is Ore Ida frozen potatoes, and the "Steam 'n' Mash" variety are our absolute favorite. Microwave for 10 minutes, pour into a bowl and add butter and milk as directed on the package, sprinkle in some salt and pepper, and mash until creamy.

Scoop some potatoes into a bowl and make a well with the back of the spoon.  Place 4-5 meatballs in the well and cover with gravy. A side of green beans and a few of the Pickled Turnips we made this Summer completes the meal.

MEATBALLS AND MASHED POTATOES WITH MUSHROOM GRAVY

Printable Version

1 bag frozen meatballs

1/2 cup water

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1/2 cup milk

Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. dried parsley

1 bag Ore Ida Steam 'n' Mash potatoes

2 Tbsp. butter

1/4-1/2 cup milk

Salt and pepper

In a large frying pan over medium heat, add the frozen meatballs and 1/2 cup water.  Simmer until the water evaporates, stirring occasionally, for about 10-12 minutes.  Let the meatballs get golden brown, then turn the heat to low.

To the pan, add a can of cream of mushroom soup.  Fill the soup can half way with milk and add it to the pan. Add a dash of Worcestershire sauce and the dried parsley.  Stir together well and let heat through. Leave on the stove while you make the mashed potatoes.

Prepare the mashed potatoes according to the package directions, and mash until they are the consistency you prefer, adding as much milk as you need.  Scoop the potatoes into a bowl, make a well, add 4-5 meatballs and pour some gravy over the top. 

Roasted Tomatoes

It will soon be time to give up on covering the tomato plants and let the cool nights take over. Until then, we have a bumper crop of tomatoes to deal with. The salsa has been made, many platters of bruschetta have been eaten, and it's time to put some tomatoes away in the freezer. 

The best, and tastiest way, I think, is to roast them. Round up as many tomatoes as you wish.  Wash and dry them. Slice them in half or cut them into chunks if they are larger, and scatter them onto a parchment or foil-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle on some salt and freshly ground black pepper. Gently toss the tomatoes with your hands to get everything covered with oil.

Pop them into a 400 degree oven and bake for 30-45 minutes until they have started to shrivel a bit but still look juicy. Place the sheet on a wire rack to cool, then transfer the tomatoes to freezer bags, making sure to add in all the wonderful juices left on the tray.

ROASTED TOMATOES               Printable Version

Later this winter we will add these luscious little beauties to pizza sauce, chili, and spaghetti sauce, and enjoy the fresh taste of Summer any time we want.

Mac 'n' Cheese with Cut Up Hot Dogs

There's always a night when I just don't feel like cooking. And that's when I get out the macaroni and cheese. And a package of hot dogs. And make magic.

Mom laments occasionally about how a box of macaroni and cheese used to make enough to feed all five people in our family. And hamburgers were a nickel.   

My go-to in our house is Kraft Homestyle Mac 'n' Cheese, in the blue BAG.

Yes, you have to make a roux.  Yes you have to mix the cheese sauce packet into that.  Then you have to decide if you want to pop it in the oven with or without the extra bread crumb topping.  But let me tell you, over the years I've tried many recipes for homemade mac 'n' cheese, and this stuff blows it all out of the water.

  

I usually add an extra handful of pasta to the pot when I boil the noodles as they provide a lot of sauce in the packet, but if you like your mac 'n' cheese extra cheesy, you can omit this step.

Each of us likes our mac a little different; some of us add green olives, fresh tomatoes, or diced ham. Some of us love to eat it cold the next day for lunch with a squirt of ketchup.  But my favorite way to eat it will always be with cut up hot dogs mixed into it.

I always slather a big slice of bread with peanut butter to eat with it...somehow the play of textures between the creamy cheese sauce and the sticky peanut butter just does something for me.  A cold glass of milk to wash it all down with helps too.

BLT Pizza

Every Friday in our family is "Pizza Night".  Since we are committed to eating pizza at least once a week, we have come up with some fun variations on the traditional pie.  BLT pizza is a recipe I came up with while working at a pizza joint in college.  It is best in the middle of summer, when I can pick fresh lettuce and tomatoes from my garden.  It doesn't hurt to buy some really good bacon for this pizza either.

BLT PIZZA          Printable Version

Your favorite pizza crust, homemade is always best
(I use The Pioneer Woman's recipe here)
Olive oil
Salt & pepper
2 cups shredded mozzarella
Bacon, cooked to desired doneness, chopped
Green lettuce, chopped
One large tomato, diced
Mayonnaise (the REAL stuff)

Prepare the pizza crust and spread out onto a baking sheet.  Cover the crust with a drizzle of olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, then top with the cooked bacon and shredded cheese.  Bake until the cheese is melted.

While the pizza is baking, mix together your lettuce, tomatoes, and mayo in a bowl.  Toss to combine thoroughly.

Remove the pizza from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes.  Top with the BLT mixture and spread evenly over the pizza.  Cut into pieces and enjoy!

Pizza Casserole

We eat a lot of pizza at our house, in many forms; frozen, homemade, pannini style.  We might be caught throwing a few slices of pepperoni on a sandwich.  We like pizza.

This is our FAVORITE casserole, because it's a pizza casserole.  Duh.  It's one of those recipes you can mess with a little and it will still turn out; add some veggies, use different kinds of pasta, mix up what cheeses you use, anything to make it what YOU are craving.  The next time I make it I plan to switch out the ground meat with diced cooked chicken, use Alfredo sauce rather than pizza sauce, and substitute a mix of ricotta and Parmesan for the tomato paste and sauce.  It probably won't be any good.

Since this makes a big pan, we save a few pieces for lunch the next day, and the rest goes in the freezer.  If it makes it that far.

Pizza Casserole (printable version)

1 pound ground beef, turkey, or ground pork, any combination equaling 1 lb ground meat 1 medium white or yellow onion, finely chopped, or 2 tsp. dried onion flakes Salt and pepper 1 box of pasta (12-16 oz.) (I use Farfalle, Rotelle, or Penne Rigate) One 15 oz. can pizza sauce One 4 oz. can tomato paste One 24 oz. can tomato sauce 1 tsp. dried oregano 2 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese One 7 oz. pkg pepperoni slices (7 oz. pkg), regular or turkey pepperoni Optional fillings:  sliced mushrooms, sliced black olives, diced green peppers  Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Brown the ground meat with a sprinkling of salt and pepper over medium heat.  Add the  chopped onion and cook until soft, or add dried onion flakes if using those.  If you are adding any of the “optional” fillings, add them now.  While this mixture is cooking, boil your pasta of  choice for 10 minutes until almost al dente.  Drain the pasta.  Return the pasta pot to the stove and add the browned meat to it. Pour in the pizza sauce, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and dried oregano.  Stir to combine.  Add the drained pasta and mix together well. Spray a 9 x 13 pan with cooking spray, especially around the upper edges.  Layer half of the meat/pasta mixture in the bottom of the pan.  Top with a layer of half of the pepperoni, then  top with half of the mozzarella cheese and half of the cheddar cheese.  Repeat with another  layer of meat/pasta, pepperoni, and cheeses, then top it all off with the Parmesan cheese. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until cheese is melted and golden on top and the casserole is  starting to bubble.  Allow to cool about 10 minutes before cutting. Serve with warm crusty garlic bread and turmeric pickles.

Chicken Alfredo Lasagna

One of our favorite places to eat pizza in Bemidji is at Giovanni's, and one of their best pizzas is the Garlic Chicken Alfredo.  They start with a hand tossed crust which is thicker than their regular crust, then top it with Alfredo sauce, chicken, red peppers, and lots of cheese.  I'm sure there must be some other magic ingredient they sprinkle over it that they don't tell you about, because it tastes SOOOOOO good.

Being on a budget, eating out is only for special occasions, or when Mom has had a really busy day at work and the only thing she wants to do is give Riley some money for the delivery guy at the door.  So I decided to come up with a version of our favorite pizza, only without having to take the time to make a crust.  You see, I only like homemade crust; none of the mixes or refrigerated premade crusts have quite cut it around here.  And homemade crust takes a while, the mixing, the rising of the dough, etc., etc.   Around here it's usually a weekend thing.

So to get the same taste, I decided to make Chicken Alfredo Lasagna.  Riley used to hate lasagna.  I tried to explain to him that since he loved spaghetti that lasagna was the very same thing, only with different noodles and in layers.  For years he refused to eat it, which made me very sad, as it's one of Mom's favorite things, and if we both don't like something I usually don't make it very often.  As he is getting older he's coming around to more food choices.  Thank Heavens.

As the noodles boiled I mixed together the filling ingredients.  Some people would spread out some sauce, then some meat, then some cheese, but I like to just mix it all together and layer away.  It's all going to end up melted together anyway, right?  If my method is too "hotdishy" for you, go ahead and layer it all individually.  Knock yourself out.

I mixed together a jar of Alfredo sauce, mozzarella, Parmesan, parsley, and chicken (I always make up a big batch of boiled chicken breasts to have on hand throughout the week and store in a plastic container in the fridge).  I used about two whole chicken breasts for this dish, but you can use more if you like.

Then I diced up a red pepper and added it to the bowl.  This is the point where you tell yourself you should have used a bigger bowl.  But we can make it work.

The way I dice peppers may be different from all the pros, but it works.  First cut off the top and scoop out the innards, then rinse out the inside to get rid of all the seeds. 

Cut around the stem so you don't waste any...

then quarter the rest of the pepper and remove any of the white membrane remaining. 

I'm picky 'bout my peppers. 

Slice and dice.  Done.

When the noodles are done drain them in a colander in the sink and let them cool slightly so you don't burn your fingers while layering them in the pan.  Coat a glass baking dish with cooking spray, then add some of the sauce mixture to the bottom, just enough to keep the noodles from sticking to the bottom of the pan. 

Layer on three noodles and more of the sauce mixture. 

Repeat twice until you have three layers, ending with sauce. 

Sprinkle with more mozzarella and Parmesan.

Pull off a sheet of aluminum foil and lay it on your counter.  Spray with cooking spray; this will keep the top layer of cheese from sticking to it. 

Cover the baking dish and pop it in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes.  Carefully remove the foil and bake an additional 10 minutes or so to brown the cheese a bit. 

Remove from the oven and cool on a rack for at least 15 minutes to allow it to set up so it's easier to cut.  After cutting a big piece I like to sprinkle it with a bit more Parmesan.  Because really, at this point, my fat grams are a bust.

I love you Giovanni's, but I think this lasagna might have your pizza beat.  Until I'm too pooped to cook, that is.

Chicken Alfredo Lasagna

(PRINTABLE VERSION)