This Casserole is So Big, It's Full of Secrets

I love casseroles!

Why? Because they are one of the easiest ways to reinvent foods and make a no fuss ton of food to feed a whole crew. Or feed yourself for a week! Whatever you're into.

I'm usually just cooking for myself, but I default to making casseroles in a 9"x13" baking dish. They freeze well, keep well, travel well. You can't go wrong baby!

Why are casseroles full of secrets? You can hide things (like veggies) in them and suspicious, non-veggie-loving friends (or parents) probably won't even know! Or perhaps you can use all of your leftovers! Waste not, want not, eat your veggies, be fabulous!! The best rules in life.

This Casserole is So Big, It's Full of Secrets

Filling:
2 cups rotini pasta (or whatever you have)
8 oz ricotta 
1 minced garlic clove
sprinkle of pepper
1/2-3/4 cup Italian cheese blend
1 egg
1 cup pulled chicken, remove skin and bones
1 thinly sliced zucchini

Sauce:

2-3 cups left over veggies- the ones I had in the freezer and fridge:

butternut squash

asparagus

onions

green beans

red peppers

2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes

1 minced garlic clove

1/2-1 cup veggie broth, depends on the water content of the veggies you use

Preheat oven to 350.

Boil salted water to cook the pasta. Meanwhile, mix the ricotta, garlic, a sprinkle of pepper, 1/4 cup mixed Italian cheese, and the egg. Add the hot, cooked pasta and mix together.

Start warming a sauce pot, and add all of your left over veggies from the freezer and fridge. Add chopped tomatoes and garlic. Simmer together until soft with veggie broth, then use the immersion blender to blend into a consistent sauce (or regular blender).

In a sprayed casserole dish, cover the bottom with a layer of sauce, pour in pasta/ ricotta mixture, a thin layer of sauce, shredded chicken, layer of thinly sliced zucchini, the rest of the sauce, top with 1/4- 1/2 cup cheese!

Bake for 30 minutes. ENJOY! YUM!

You can totally use a jarred sauce, but if you have leftover veggies, this is a great way to use them. I've also used butternut squash and kale in the sauce, which is also super good! Leave out the chicken if you don't eat it- no harm, no fowl!

Now, go forth and use your leftovers, friends!!

xoxo Sam

I Got Curried Away with Cauliflower and Chickpeas!

Do you ever get a crazy craving for some type of food? Maybe a favorite baked good or your grandma's soup?

I get random cravings for different ethnic flavors- other than Greek, Italian, and Mexican because those are my go-tos.

(I'm always craving good, gooey chocolate chip cookies, but that's another story all to itself.)

I really love Indian food, but since my Indian food takeout eating partner has been away all summer, I  completely forgot about my long lost love for curry until last night!

I knew that I wouldn't have time to baby-sit a pot of anything on the stove, so I made it into a warm, delish salad.

I Got Curried Away with Cauliflower and Chickpeas!

Most of 1 head of cauliflower, cut into florets

1/2 onion cut into wedges

1 can chick peas, rinsed and patted dry

1 tsp curry powder

1 pinch garlic salt

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp turmeric

1-2 tbsp olive oil

1 1/2 cups fresh green beans, snapped in half, stems removed

Topping: Spicy cashews

For the dressing:

1/2 cup Greek yogurt

1 tbsp mayo

1-2 tbsp rice wine vinegar

1 tbsp sriracha

1/2 tsp curry powder

1 pinch garlic salt 

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp turmeric

Preheat the oven to 400. Toss the cauliflower, onion, and chickpeas with olive oil, curry powder, garlic salt, cumin, and turmeric. Roast on baking sheet for 30 minutes.
Place the green beans in a microwave safe bowl with a splash of water, cover with plastic wrap. Poke a small hole in the wrap. Steam for 3 minutes in the microwave.
In a large bowl, mix together greek yogurt, mayo, rice wine vinegar, sriracha, curry powder, garlic salt, cumin, and turmeric to make the dressing.
Add the cauliflower/ chickpeas and the steamed green beans into the dressing and toss lightly.
Top with spicy cashews! Eat warm or cold!

This warmed my Indian food loving heart, for less money than takeout. Look how well it pairs with my homework! Enjoy my friends!

xoxo Sam

Savory Breakfast Quinoa Bowl

All I have to say is- YUM! MEGA YUM!

If you feel like a lump in the morning, you need to wake up to this beauty; she will get you going!

She'll say," Wakey, wakey, eggs and quinoa!"

Savory Breakfast Quinoa Bowl

1/2 cup quinoa

1 minced garlic clove

1 cup veggie broth (or water)

2 shredded carrots

1 cup cooked rice

1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped

1 cup mushrooms, sliced
2 cups chopped kale, ribs removed and diced (or spinach)

1 medium tomato diced (or 1 cup of baby tomatoes)

1/4 cup diced cheese chunks (I use cheddar or smoked gouda)

1-2 tbsp fresh herbs like parsley or thyme (if you've got 'em)

eggs cooked how you like

In your favorite sauce pan, bring the quinoa, garlic clove, and veggie broth to a boil.  Add the carrots. Cover and turn down to low for 15 minutes. Once the quinoa is done, add the cooked rice to warm through.

Sauté the onions, mushrooms, and kale/ stems with olive oil. Cover to steam the kale. Add the tomatoes to warm through.
Add the cheese chunks to the quinoa rice. Add herbs.

Cook a 'dippy egg'. (how I prefer my egg for this recipe)

Serve in a bowl layered with quinoa rice, veggies, and topped with the egg. All you need is a drizzle of hot sauce, and its time for breakfast!

Use your favorite veggies- peppers, broccoli, and roasted cauliflower are FABULOUS too.

To get the original version, check out Tia Mowry at Home. Happy breakfasting!

xoxo Sam

The Quiche Life

Happy Laboring Day!

Today I wanted butter and eggs and veggies and cheese. (when don't I, honestly)

So, I made a delish quiche to celebrate my day off. Hooray!

The Quiche Life
(a non-labor intensive fancy dish for a non-laboring day)

1 pre-packed 9" refrigerated pie crust
6 eggs
1/2- 3/4 cup plain greek yogurt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp seasoned salt
about 1 1/2 cups cooked veggies! (I used red/ green peppers, onions, and broccoli)
about 3/4 cup grated cheese! (I used extra sharp cheddar)
other fillings you like! (maybe ham, sausage, cooked breakfast potatoes)

Preheat oven to 400. Spray pie plate or cake pan. Unroll the crust and fit into the pan. Make the edges pretty if you wish.
Blind bake the crust for 10 minutes with pie weights. (I do not own pie weights, I sandwiched two cake pans with the crust in-between. You can also use pennies or rice+ parchment paper)
Remove the weights and bake for 5 more minutes.
While the crust bakes, sauté veggies or pull some leftover cooked ones from your fridge. Don't use watery ones.
Wisk the eggs, greek yogurt, pepper, and seasoned salt until smooth.
Arrange your veggies inside the cooked crust. Top with the cheese. Pour in the egg mixture. Jiggle to distribute egg mixture. Make foil shields for the exposed crust.
Bake at 375 for 40 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes! MUNCH AWAY!

I can't wait to eat this for lunch or breakfast all week! YAY. Have a beautiful day friends!

xoxo Sam

Pumpkin, I mean, Butternut Squash Cookies

Are you dreaming of crisp autumn air, colored leaves, apples, hayrides, and pumpkin pie?

I'm not! Autumn is such a tease, because before you know it, gray guy winter is here to steal your breath and make your nose drippy and cold. It makes you have the most icicle-like toes you can find on this side of the Mississippi. Frozen car windows and doors. Oh, Pennsylvania!

The only part of autumn that I enjoy is pulling out my blazers and riding boots. Perhaps a pile of leaves to frolic in and maybe even some hot cider. Jack-o-lanterns! Okay, okay, I do like autumn, I'm just not ready for it yet.

Due to an overabundance of butternut squash from one of my coworkers, I've been on a squash baking frenzy.

I was trying to do some research into butternut squash recipes. I hadn't made much with them before other than toast toppings, soups, and mashed side dishes. A salad or two. My go-to orange veggie has always been sweet potatoes. The trick to finding 'butternut squash recipes' is to look for 'pumpkin recipes.' They work the same and taste so similar in the recipes, no one will know. Lovely! Cooking cheat codes!

Pumpkin, I mean, Butternut Squash Cookies

2 cups flour (half whole wheat, half white cake flour)
1 tsp baking soda

1 pinch salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup canola oil

1/3 cup apple sauce
3 tbsp maple syrup
1 cup cooked, mashed butternut squash* (about 3/4 of 1 half roasted squash)
1 tsp vanilla
Mix-ins: 1 cup oats, 1/2 cup chocolate chips, 1/2 cup sunflower seeds, 2 tbsp chia seeds (use what you like!)


Preheat oven to 350. Spray cookie sheets.
In the dry ingredient bowl, mix flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and allspice.
In the wet ingredient bowl, mix sugar, oil, apple sauce, maple syrup, squash, and vanilla.
Add the dry guys to the wet guys, Add mix-ins.
Spoon batter lumps onto cookie sheets. Bake for 15 minutes. Let cool!

*To make your own mashed squash:
Preheat oven to 350. Cut butternut squash in half, length wise. Scoop out seeds and guts. Place foil on a cookie sheet, place squash cut side down on top. Fold up foil edges slightly to contain the squash halves. Poke a few holes in the skin, and pour a little water under the squash bellies. Bake for 45 minutes. Flip them over and let cool. Scoop out the delish flesh and mash away!

My coworkers loved these! The surprise chocolate chip every now and then was a great reason to keep eating them all!

To get the original version, check out Bite Club Eats.

xoxo Sam