Cajun Shrimp and Sausage Pasta

FB Source: Susan Parker

Ingredients:
1/2 - 3/4 lb cooked fettuccine
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 lb peeled, deveined raw large shrimp
1 Tbsp plus 2 tsp *Essence seasoning (recipe below - I think you can buy this, too.)
1 1/2 smoked turkey sausages, sliced and quartered (I use Butterball)
1/2 cup diced green pepper
1/2 cup diced yellow onion
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup grated Parmesan

*Essence Creole Seasoning
2 1/2 Tbsp paprika
2 Tbsp salt
2 Tbsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp black pepper
1 Tbsp onion powder
1 Tbsp cayenne pepper
1 Tbsp dried oregano
1 Tbsp dried thyme

Directions:

1. Heat 1 Tbsp of olive oil over medium high heat in a large saute pan. Season the shrimp with 2 teaspoons of the Essence. Place the shrimp in the pan and saute until almost done. Remove the shrimp from the pan and set aside. 
2. Place the remaining Tbsp of olive oil in the saute pan and onions and bell peppers. Saute, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the sausage and cook another minute.
3. Add the garlic to the pan and saute for 30 seconds. 
4. Add the chicken stock to the pan and scrape with a spoon to remove any browned bits that have formed in the bottom of the pan, about 30 seconds. 
5. Add the thyme, 1 Tbsp of Essence and 1/2 tsp salt and cook for 2 minutes. 
6. Add the heavy cream to the pan and cook an additional 2 minutes. 
7. Return the shrimp to the pan and pasta to the pan. Continue to cook the sauce and pasta, stirring occasionally, for about 3-5 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the basil and Parmesan.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Emeril Lagasse

Breakfast Bites

FB Source: Heather Pettit

Ingredients:

1 package of pre-shredded potatoes (refrigerated section next to the eggs)

3 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/4 finely chopped onion (optional)

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

 salt and pepper to taste. 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a mini muffin pan. 
2. Pour potatoes into a bowl, add the salt, garlic powder and onion, stir to combine. 
3. Pour in the egg and give it another stir, then add the cheese and mix it all up. 
4. Spoon into mini muffin tins and bake for 20 – 25 minutes or until golden brown and tops and edges begin to get crispy. 

Eat warm, or cool and freeze into individual packs and heat for about 20 seconds in the microwave. 

Breakfast is made for the whole week!

Stacie says: "Add crumbled bacon or sausage and other fun add-ins to this before you bake them. YUM!"

Lasagna Soup

Source: Easy Recipes, Healthy Eating Ideas

Ingredients:
For the soup:
2 tsp. olive oil
1-1/2 lbs. Italian sausage
3 c. chopped onions
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
2 T. tomato paste
1 28-oz. can fire roasted diced tomatoes
2 bay leaves
6 c. chicken stock
8 oz. mafalda or fusilli pasta
1/2 c. finely chopped fresh basil leaves
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the cheesy yum:
8 oz. ricotta
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp. salt
pinch of freshly ground pepper

Additional cheesy yum:
2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add sausage, breaking up into bite sized pieces, and brown for about 5 minutes. Add onions and cook until softened, about 6 minutes. Add garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute. Add tomato paste and stir well to incorporate. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the tomato paste turns a rusty brown color.
2. Add diced tomatoes, bay leaves, and chicken stock. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Add uncooked pasta and cook until al dente. Do not over cook or let soup simmer for a long period of time at this point, as the pasta will get mushy and absorb all the soup broth. You may even want to consider cooking the noodles separately, and then adding some to individual bowls before ladling the soup over them. This would be an especially smart move if you are anticipating any leftovers. Right before serving, stir in the basil and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
3. While the pasta is cooking, prepare the cheesy yum. In a small bowl, combine the ricotta, Parmesan, salt, and pepper.
4. To serve, place a dollop of the cheesy yum in each soup bowl, sprinkle some of the mozzarella on top and ladle the hot soup over the cheese.

Slow Cooker Breakfast Casserole

New Ideas

Breakfast casserole in the crock pot! Cooks while you sleep! Sounds perfect for a Sunday morning and great for company!


Ingredients:
1 bag 26 oz. frozen hash browns
12 eggs
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon ground mustard
1 16 oz. roll sausage
maple, sage or regular sausage.
Salt and pepper
16 oz. bag shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

1. Spray crock pot and evenly spread hash browns at the bottom.
2. Crack 12 eggs in a large bowl.
3. Mix well (and slowly) using a whisk.
4. Add the milk.
5. Go ahead and sprinkle in the ground mustard. This might sound like a weird ingredient, but I've come to love (and use) this in most of my recipes.
6. Add plenty of salt and lots of fresh pepper. Mix well and set aside.
7. Cook the sausage on high heat, drain and set aside.
8. Add sausage on top of hash browns.
9. Is this enough cheese? Maybe? Probably. Throw the whole big bag in there.
10. Mix it up well. Or good, depending on where you're from.
11. Pour the egg mixture over everything in the crock pot. Using a wood spoon, even everything out so it's spread evenly.
12. Turn the crock pot on low for 6-8 hours.

Some fun variations of this recipe. Before cooking (during prep) you can add:
chunks of sourdough bread
diced chiles
salsa
diced green onions

Serve hot with a glass of orange juice and a side of toast.

No-Dough Pizza

Tashia Johnson

NO DOUGH PIZZA!!!!!!! This one is a WINNER!!!!
Gluten Free, Low Carb, Diabetic Friendly!!!!!!
For when you absolutely want pizza but not all the carbs!!!!!!!

Crust
1 (8 oz) package of full fat cream cheese, room temperature
2 eggs
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Topping
1/2 cup pizza sauce
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
toppings - pepperoni, ham, sausage, mushrooms, peppers
Garlic powder

Preheat oven to 350.

Lightly spay a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray. With a handheld mixer, mix cream cheese, eggs, pepper, garlic powder and parmesan cheese until combined. Spread into baking dish. Bake for 12-15 minutes, our until golden brown. Allow crust to cool for 10 minutes.

Spread pizza sauce on crust. Top with cheese and toppings. Sprinkle pizza with garlic powder. Bake 8-10 minutes, until cheese is melted.

Breakfast Egg Muffins To Go

Melanie Landau Kerwin

Breakfast Egg Muffins To Go

Eggs are one of the most versatile breakfast foods around, but few of us can spare the time to cook them in the morning. These eggs muffins are designed to be cooked ahead of time, then grabbed on the go. Egg muffins will keep one week in the refrigerator. Microwave 30 seconds to reheat.

Just add a variety of different goodies to your tin. Maybe 6 with bacon, onion & cheese and 6 with spinach, mushrooms and ham. You can't mess this up! In the morning, just grab a couple from your ziploc and nuke them and away you go! No unhealthy trip to Micky D's. ;

Lots of variations Enjoy!

Yield - 12 muffins

1/2 pound ground Italian pork or turkey sausage
4 ounces frozen chopped broccoli florets
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
12 eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
12 parchment paper muffin wrappers or 12 silicone muffin cups

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Heat skillet over medium heat. Add sausage and cook until no longer pink.
3. In a microwave-safe bowl, microwave frozen broccoli florets until thawed (approximately 4 minutes) and drain.
4. If using a muffin tin, line tin with parchment paper wrappers. If using silicone muffin cups, place cups on a baking sheet lined with foil (to catch any egg overflow and making clean-up much easier!).
5. In a large bowl, combine sausage, broccoli and cheese. Spoon mixture into cups, filling them 2/3 of the way, leaving room to add the egg mixture.
6. In another bowl with a pour spout, beat together 12 eggs. Add salt and pepper. Pour egg mixture into each muffin cup, being careful to leave a little room (1/4 inch or so) at the top.
7. Bake 25 minutes, or until muffins have risen and are firm.

Variation: Instead of Italian sausage, try diced bacon, Canadian bacon, ham, chorizo or crumbled breakfast sausage. Try other veggies such as diced red pepper, spinach, zucchini, mushrooms, etc. Mix and match at will!

Sausage Potato Casserole

Kitchen to Kitchen

behold, an oven pan laden with delicious food (a LOT of it) that is cost-effective, EASY EASY EASY, and delicious. when i say “easy” here, i don’t mean “for the beginner cook” easy. i mean any blithering idiot can make this.

this recipe will serve 3-4 adults, or one bachelor again and again.

1 package (at least 1 lb) of your favorite sausage links (Johnsonville, generic smoked sausage, whatever you like. i used polish sausages, 4 to a pack)
4-5 decent-sized potatoes (i prefer Yukon gold or red bliss)
1 small jar banana peppers
1-2 bell peppers, sliced
1 large onion, sliced
3 tbsp olive oil (yes, it has to be OLIVE oil)
salt and pepper
*optional — 2 tsp dried rosemary (bachelors, ignore this. your salt and pepper will be fine. i know that asking you to procure olive oil was already a stretch.)
*optional — 3 tbsp creole seasoning

make it:

spray a large baking pan w/ nonstick spray (make sure there is at least a small “lip” that provides a “side” to the pan, don’t use a flat baking sheet.

slice sausages into thin rounds, about 1/5″ thick. if you know how to slice using a “bias” cut, do that. if not, don’t worry about it.

cut potatoes into 1/2″ chunks

slice onion and pepper into strips

place all ingredients on baking sheet and drizzle oil over. use your hands to toss everything together in the oil, making sure everything feels coated.

add salt & pepper and spices (if using)

top w/ sliced banana peppers

bake at 400 for about 30-35 min, until potatoes are tender