Baked Sausage and Beans

This is a play on hot dogs and beans, but we dressed it up with yummy sausage. It comes together very quickly and makes excellent leftovers.

You will need:

• 16 oz cherry tomatoes
• 1 large onion, cut in half and thinly sliced
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 T olive oil
• 4 T sherry vinegar
• 2 t dried basil
• 2 t dried parsley
• ½ t ground pepper
• ¼ t salt
• 1 lb hot Italian sausage (or your favorite sausage), each sausage cut into two pieces
• 2 cans (15 oz each) low sodium great northern beans, drained and rinsed

Then you will…

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a large ovenproof Dutch oven, mix together the cherry tomatoes, onion, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, basil, parsley, pepper and salt. (You can also use a 9×13 baking dish).
3. Mix in the sausage.
4. Bake 35 minutes, until the sausages are roasted and cooked through. Stir once in the middle of the baking time.
5. Stir in the beans.
6. Return to oven and bake for another 5-10 minutes, until the beans are warmed through.
7. Serve with crusty bread and a fresh salad!

Turkey and Rice Stuffed Peppers

My mom made stuffed peppers for dinner when we were growing up. They are nice, since you can prep them in advance and then pop the pan in the oven after work. You could also leave them in a slow cooker while you are away…then dinner will be ready when you get home! Depending on the size of your bell peppers, you may end up with extra filling. Bake it about 15-20 minutes alongside the rest of the dish, and then use it for a quick breakfast or dinner by topping it with some fried eggs.

You will need:

• 6 bell peppers
• 4 T olive oil
• 1 lb ground turkey
• 1 large onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 8 oz tomato sauce (we used an arrabiata)
• 1 t ground oregano
• 1 t ground basil
• 1/2 t ground pepper
• 1/4 t salt
• 1/4 t crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 small bunch scallions, trimmed and chopped
• 1 c cooked long-grain/wild rice
• 2 c shredded cheese (we used our favorite cheddar)

Then you will…

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cut the tops of the bell peppers.Remove the stem and chop the tops. Set aside.
3. De-seed the peppers and place the pepper cups in a 9×3 baking dish.
4. Heat the olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat.
5. Add the turkey and start to brown and crumble, cooking about 5 minutes.
6. Add the chopped bell pepper, onion and garlic.
7. Saute until the turkey is cooked through and starting to brown.
8. Stir in the tomato sauce, oregano, basil, pepper, salt, crushed red pepper flakes, scallion and rice.
9. Allow to simmer 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat.
10. Stir in half of the cheese.
11. Spoon the filling into the bell pepper cups. Top with the extra cheese.
12. Add enough water to cover the bottom of the baking dish. Cover the dish loosely with foil.
13. Bake for 30 minutes.
14. Remove the foil and bake another 20-25 minutes. The pepper shells should be slightly softened and the cheese melted and browned.

Deconstructed Pierogi Lasagna

Pierogi are filled dumplings that often have some combination of potato, cheese and meat inside. Rather than making individual dumplings, we decided to try it in the style of a lasagna. This is a rich and hearty dinner, so consider a light salad alongside for freshness.

You will need:

• 1 package fresh lasagna noodles (or 9 boxed noodles, parboiled)
• 12 oz thick cut bacon
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 lb red skinned potato
• 3 T butter
• 8 oz reduced fat chive and onion cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 small bunch scallions, trimmed and chopped
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 3 c shredded cheddar cheese

Then you will…

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Lightly grease a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Spread the bacon on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until starting to crisp up. Remove from the oven. Transfer the bacon to a paper-towel lined plate and set aside. Crumble once cool.
3. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.
4. Cut the potatoes into 1 inch chunks. Put them in a large pan and cover with cold water. Add some salt.
5. Bring the potatoes to a boil and allow to cook until able to be easily pierced with a fork, about 7-10 minutes.
6. Drain the potatoes and return to the pan. Add the butter and cream cheese, and mash the potatoes until mostly smooth.
7. Mix in the scallions and half of the bacon.
8. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
9. Line the baking dish with 1/3 of the lasagna noodles.
10. Spread 1/3 of the mashed potatoes and sprinkle with 1/3 of the cheese.
11. Repeat two more times with the remaining noodles, potatoes and cheese.
12. Sprinkle the top with the remaining bacon.
13. Cover lightly with foil.
14. Bake for 30 minutes.
15. Remove the foil and continue baking until warmed through, bubbly and golden, another 15 minutes or so.

Beef Stew with Red Wine and Cranberries

Beef stew was a staple in my childhood home. This version has some bacon for extra yumminess. We also added red wine and cranberries…this gives the stew extra richness and makes it a little unusual. If you have a Parmesan rind, feel free to add it to the sauce for even more flavor.

You will need:

• 1 lb thick cut bacon, chopped
• 2 lb steak, cut into 1-inch cubes (pick your favorite stew cut)
• 1/3 c T all-purpose flour, divided
• 1/2 t pepper
• 1/2 t garlic powder
• 1/4 t salt
• 1/4 t paprika
• 2 medium yellow onions, chopped
• 16 oz baby bella mushrooms, cleaned and quartered
• 3 c carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 c port
• 1 bottle (750 mL) dry red wine
• 2-3 c unsalted beef broth
• 4 T tomato paste
• 2 or 3 bay leaves
• 2 c cranberries, fresh or frozen
• 2 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Then you will…

1. Preheat your oven to 250 degrees. Line a diner plate with two sheets of paper towel.
2. In a large dutch oven, cook the bacon over medium high heat until starting to crisp.
3. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon. Place on the prepared plate.
4. Pat the beef dry with paper towel.
5. In a large ziplock, combine 1/3 cup of the flour with the 1/2 teaspoon pepper, garlic powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and the paprika.
6. Toss the beef in the flour mixture.
7. Add the beef to the dutch oven and saute over medium high heat until golden on each side, about 5 minutes.
8. Transfer the beef to the plate with the bacon.
9. Add the onions and mushrooms to the dutch oven. Saute for 5 minutes.
10. Add the carrots and garlic. Saute another 5 minutes.
11. Mix in the port, and allow to reduce by half.
12. Stir in the wine, 2 cups of the broth, and the tomato paste.
13. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat.
14. Return the beef to the dutch oven.
15. Stir in the cranberries.
16. Add the bay leaves.
17. Bake for 2 hours. Remove the bay leaves.
18. Stir in the potatoes and add more broth as needed.
19. Bake for another 45 minutes to an hour, or until the potato is tender.
20. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
21. Serve with crumbled bacon on top!