Sausage Stuffed Squash/ "Squasage" Casserole

The ingredients for these 2 recipes are identical.  It's really just a matter of preference in how you'd like to serve them.  Is it going to be a main dish, or a side?  Just for 4, or a group?  These are both "hurry it up" type meal.  You can revise it to just the ol' cook in the oven method if you'd like to, but I rarely allow myself enough time for that unless I'm really on top of the ball.

2 acorn or 2 butternut squash
1 lb Italian Sausage (store-bought or homemade)
1 carrot, chopped finely
1 stalk celery, chopped finely
1/2 red onion, chopped finely
2 T. Italian seasoning
Salt
Pepper
1 egg
1/4 c. fresh parsley, chopped finely
Olive Oil

Sausage Stuffed Squash 

Cut, seed, and peal the butternut or acorn squash.
(Save the seeds for pepitas!) I used a butternut squash and sliced the top solid part and set those aside. Place the two squash "bowls" into a microwavable glass dish (such as pyrex) with a 1/2" of water.  Microwave for about 5 minutes, or until tender, but not too tender.

In a frying pan, mix the sausage, carrot, celery, onion, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.  Cook until sausage is done. Add 1 egg and scramble the mix (it should not be very egg-y).  Add the parsley and drizzle with a little more olive oil.  Scoop into squash bowls and broil in the oven for about 5 minutes, or until nice and hot and the meat is slightly browned.

With the slices of squash, you should microwave those on a microwavable, oven-safe plate or tray (I used my small stone). Make sure they are covered  Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper, and broil along with the sausage bowl.

Serves 4 as a main dish this way.

"Squasage Casserole"

Prepare your butternut or acorn squash, by cutting in half, seeding, and peeling.  Cube the squash, place in a dish, and microwave, covered, for about 5 minutes, or until slightly tender.  (This can be shorter or longer depending on how much time you have.

Prepare the sausage the same way as above.  Mix with the squash cubes, place in a casserole dish, and bake until heated through, squash is completely tender, and ready to serve.

This way is great as a side!

Enjoy your Squasage! 


What other sweet or savory squash sides do you enjoy for the holidays?

Karissa's Meatballs

The other day my friend Karissa posted her tantalizing meatball dinner on facebook.  It sounded so delish that I just had to have the recipe.  After I made up a batch and tried a few of them for lunch, I asked her if I could post the recipe--she was gracious enough to allow me to share it here!

Karissa's Meatballs

2 lb. lean ground beef
1 lb. sausage
2 eggs
1 minced onion (mine was kind of small)
1 minced bell pepper (I used 1/2 of a pepper)
6 minced baby bella mushrooms
2 T. dried basil or 1/2 c. fresh (approx. measurement before mincing)
4 cloves minced garlic
salt
pepper

Combine all of the ingredients well and form into meatballs, either the size of golf balls or slightly larger similar to that of a racquetball.   It makes about 4 dozen golf balls and 2 dozen racquetballs.  Bake at 400* for 15 or 25 minutes, relative to the size you formed your meatballs, flipping once half-way through baking.  Pour off undesired grease and broil for up to an additional 5 minutes making sure they don't burn.



(Note: If frozen, place in the oven at the beginning of the preheating cycle or let thaw for about an hour before ready to bake them.)

I'm so excited to now have 4 dozen of these little suckers stocked up in my freezer to make an amazing meal for my family on those nights that I haven't planned well for dinner, time gets away from me, or I simply want an easy dinner.

Update: I no longer have 4 dozen in my freezer due to the fact that we devoured several for dinner tonight.  They were excellent.

I suggest pairing them with Karissa's Zesty Coconut Sauce over Zucchini "Pasta".  You won't regret it.

Beef Soup/Stew

2-4 T. arrowroot powder*
salt and pepper to taste
2 lbs of stew beef, bite sized
2 T. Ghee
a small handful of mushrooms, finely chopped
3 cloves minced garlic
3 stalks celery, diced
3 carrots, diced
2 white sweet potatoes (or white potatoes*), largely diced
2 cups pearled onions (or 1 whole onion, roughly chopped)
2 T. tomato paste
4-6 cups of beef broth

*Controversially Paleo, and Whole30... make your own judgement call here.  I chose not to use it today.

IF using arrowroot powder, mix powder with salt and pepper coat bite sized pieces of beef.  If not, skip to the next step.

Heat large (or dutch oven) over medium-high heat for a couple of minutes.  Add ghee, beef, salt and pepper.  Brown on all sides well.

To the meat, add mushrooms and garlic and saute for a couple minutes until softened.

Add celery, carrots, sweet (or white) potatoes, onions, tomato paste, and beef broth.  Simmer for as short as 30 minutes (beef will still be somewhat tough) or as long as a couple of hours.

If you use arrowroot powder, this will thicken it making more of a stew.  However, for Whole30, it will remain more soup-like.

SO yummy.

Spicy Italian Beef Sausage

2 lb. ground beef
3/4 t. salt
1/2 t. black pepper
3 t. paprika
1 1/2 t. Italian seasoning (or mix your own)
2 cloves fresh garlic or 2 t. garlic powder
1/2 to 1 t. crushed red pepper flakes (depending on how much pizzazz you want to add)
1 egg

Mix and mix and mix some more.  Done.

Balsamic Steak Alfredo

Start with steak.

Cover it with some olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper, and rosemary.  

Cook your pasta according to the directions. 

ook your steak in a Cast Iron Skillet.  It should take about 3-4 minutes per side.  Once it is finished, let it rest while you finish up the sauce. 

While the steak is cooking, slice grape tomatoes in half.  Drizzle them with oil, salt, pepper, and garlic.  Broil them until they are starting to blister slightly, turn them over and broil them a bit longer. 

In the same pan, pour in the Alfredo sauce. You can make your own, or you can use your favorite store-bought sauce.   Using the same pan allows the flavors from the steak to permeate the sauce. 

Mmmm.

Mix in the noodles.  

Place the noodles and sauce on the plate.  Top with some steak.  Drizzle with balsamic glaze.  Sprinkle Feta cheese and tomatoes on top.  Mmmm. 

Enjoy!

Beef Barley Stew

I really enjoy soups and stews.  I definitely try to take advantage of the few "Soup/Stew" kind of days since they don't happen nearly as often as they did in the midwest.  Recently, I made a beef Barley Stew.  It was super tasty, even in its simplicity.

Beef Barley Stew (Makes about 4 quarts) 

1 T. oil

1 medium onion, chunked

1 lb. of your choice cut of beef (I use whatever is on sale)

2-3 carrots, chopped

1 clove of garlic, minced

1 c. uncooked pearl barley

1 t. salt

1/2 t. pepper

1/2 t. dried thyme

7 c. broth (beef or vegetable or a combination)

1/4 c. red wine

Heat the oil in a skillet.  Cook beef, onion, carrots, and garlic until the meat is browned and the onion is translucent.  Transfer to a crock pot. 

Add barley, salt, pepper and thyme.  Stir in broth.  Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 7 hours.  

Leave out the barley for gluten free, Paleo version. 

Serve with Homemade Poolish Bread. 

Enjoy!

Thai Coconut Curry

Thai Coconut Curry...  I don't know how *authentic* this dish is.   All I know is it tastes super good. 

This dish is very simple to make and is a GREAT way to eat lots of vegetables.  

First, cut up the veggies.  It's nice because amounts don't really matter.  I chose potatoes, red bell pepper, green beans, onion, and carrot.  You could substitute other veggies in.

Cut up some beef (or chicken) and add that and the onion to a lightly oiled skillet.  Cook until meat is browned and onion is translucent. 

Add the rest of the veggies (except for the carrots) and water to cover generously.  Cook until the potatoes start to get tender. 

Now add the golden curry.  Break up the bar into the water. 

 You can find this at most grocery stores in the asian food section.

I like getting the hot (it really isn't THAT hot), but it also comes in mild and medium. 

Once the curry bar has dissolved, the sauce should be slightly thicker and should be brown.

Now add the carrots.

Add one can of coconut milk.  Make sure it is *milk* not *water*.  Also, low fat coconut milk does not work as well in this dish because it is too watery.  If you would like to, you can simply add 1 c. sour cream.  I like the subtle taste of the coconut throughout the dish.

Serve it over rice.

Enjoy!