Cooking Method: Boiling
Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole with Broccoli
This Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole with Broccoli is a family-friendly meal. I have to say, it's my new favorite casserole. The combination of chicken, bacon, pasta ranch dressing and cheese is delicious.
- Prep: 15 mins
- Cook: 35 mins
- Yields: 8 Servings
Beef Stew with Mushrooms and Barley
I made this Beef Stew with Mushrooms and Barley for my Dad the other day. You can make it in an Instant Pot / Pressure Cooker or, I have also included the stovetop instructions. There are a few sprigs of rosemary and thyme in this stew which makes it very flavorful. I love the addition of pearl barley, which is one of the oldest grains. It is chewy, nutty, hearty and acts as the perfect thickener for soups and stews.
- Yields: 6 Servings
Grilled Sausages with Caramelized Onions on Corn Polenta
Grilled Sausages with Caramelized Onions on Corn Polenta is a delicious combination. The sausages are nestled on a bed of polenta that has fresh corn and Parmesan cheese and then topped with grilled sausages and richly sweet, caramelized onions. It's perfect for a cool autumn night.
- Prep: 25 mins
- Cook: 1 hr
- Yields: 6 Servings
Baked Ziti
My daughter Grace made this classic Baked Ziti recipe. Unfortunately, I got the photo and recipe, but not the dinner invitation! Her version is vegetarian, but you could add ground beef or sausage if you want. It's kind of a freeform lasagna. It's inexpensive to make, family-friendly and doesn't require all the layering that lasagna does. I can also be made ahead to be ready to pop in the oven later in the day. It looks SO good, maybe she'll bring me some leftovers!
- Prep: 25 mins
- Cook: 45 mins
- Yields: 8 - 10 Servings
Pizza Spaghetti
This Pizza Spaghetti is my new favorite casserole. If you have kids, this is a must-try. You can add your favorite toppings to the "noodle crust" to make it your own. The next day I reheated it in a cast-iron skillet for lunch. It's so good, I want to make it again, but I probably should wait at least a week!
- Prep: 15 mins
- Yields: 6 - 8 Servings
Milanese-Style Savoy Cabbage
My husband Eric seems to be obsessed wtih Savoy cabbage lately. He has made several versions. This Milanese-Style Savoy cabbage is loosely based on a recipe from Academia Barilla. Savoy cabbage has a mild flavor, and works really well sliced thinly in soups and stir-fries.
- Prep: 15 mins
- Cook: 15 mins
- Yields: 4 Servings
Spanish Fideo with Chicken
A few weeks ago, my husband and I went to one of our favorite Spanish restaurants to have a glass of wine, socially distanced outside. We were looking at the actual menu and my husband was curious about the Pasta Espanola con Pollo or Spanish Fideo with Chicken. I decided that I would make it at home. Fideo is a short, thin, vermicelli-like noodle used in paella-like Spanish and Mexican dishes. It was so good, that I will make it again. It was a taste of Spain in a dish!
- Prep: 10 mins
- Cook: 20 mins
- Yields: 4 Servings
Pappardelle
Recently, I lent/gave my pasta maker (you don't necessarily need one to make this pasta) to my daughter Grace. She has been making a lot of pasta lately. My friend Melanie dropped off some homemade marinara sauce that she made from some homegrown tomatoes. So I called Grace and ordered some of her pasta to go with this luscious sauce. As per Melanie's instructions, we made vodka sauce by adding ½ cup of vodka to the marinara - simmer until the alcohol is cooked off then add some cream. It was SO delicious! I can't get any fresher than this!
- Prep: 15 mins
- Cook: 5 mins
- Yields: 3 - 4 Servings
Japanese Potato Salad
Japanese Potato Salad is unique in that it is half mashed and half chunky, which gives it a creamier texture. It has grated carrots, cucumbers, scallions and diced ham. To emulate Kewpie mayonnaise, you add a little bit of sugar. The Yukon Gold potatoes I used where particularly gold in color!
- Prep: 25 mins
- Cook: 15 mins
- Yields: 4 Servings
Orzo with Sausage and Broccoli Rabe
I made this Orzo with Sausage and Broccoli Rabe and opened a jar of hot Peppadew peppers that were way past the sell-by date, so I used pepperoncini instead. The peppers add a little heat to this dish, though you can leave them out if you prefer.
- Prep: 10 mins
- Cook: 25 mins
- Yields: 4 Servings











