Jayne
Finally the end of February is here and I can’t wait until spring. Even though I love winter (I know I’m crazy) I do look forward to the start of spring and those fresh tulips that start to pop up in March. I’ve been a Minnesota girl for 56 years and I am very aware of the famous saying, “In like a lamb out like a lion.” Believe me, I know what could come up in March but I’m keeping my fingers crossed for a shorter winter and beautiful spring. There is still some winter left, which to me means comfort food.
With that being said, today we are going to be hot dishin’ it. I have three meals I am putting together for this blog that are great to freeze and make for quick and easy dinners any night of the week. All three of them fit into a 9×13 pan but what I like to do is put them in aluminum foil pans and split them in smaller pans so that I can get 6 meals out of them instead of only 3. They are also great to have around for a nice gift to your neighbor, someone that is laid up and can’t get around or the best is when I don’t have a clue what to make for dinner and I can just pop one of these in the oven and have my meal in less than an hour. Here is my first comfort meal.
- 12 Oz. Un-Cooked Spaghetti
- 1 Lb. Ground Beef
- ¾ Cup Water
- 1 Package Taco Seasoning
- 15 Oz. Can Black Beans, rinsed and drained
- 10 Oz. Can Diced Tomatoes and Green Chilies, undrained
- 2 Cups Shredded Mexican Cheese
- 2/3 Cup Salsa
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Break spaghetti into thirds; cook according to package directions.
- In a Dutch oven, cook beef over medium heat 6 to 8 minutes until it reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees.
- Stir in taco seasoning and water; bring to boil.
- Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in beans, tomatoes, 1 cup cheese and salsa.
- Drain spaghetti; add to the beef mixture and toss to combine.
- Transfer mixture to a greased 13×9 inch-baking dish.
- Bake for 20 minutes.
- Sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
- Bake 3-5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.
- Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
- 1 Lb. Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
- ½ Cup Onion, chopped
- ½ Cup Green or Red Pepper, chopped
- 1 tsp. Dried Basil
- 1 tsp. Oregano
- 1 tsp. Parsley Flakes
- ½ tsp. Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
- 1 T. Vegetable Oil
- 3 Garlic Cloves, minced
- 1 1/2 Cups Penne Pasta, uncooked
- 14 Oz. Can Diced Tomatoes, undrained
- 3 T. Tomato Paste
- ¾ Cup Chicken Broth
- 2 Cups Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
- ½ Cup Grated Romano Cheese
- In a large saucepan, sauté the chicken, onion, peppers and seasonings in oil until the chicken is no longer pink.
- Add the garlic cook 1 minute longer.
- Cook pasta according to package directions.
- Then add tomatoes and tomato paste to chicken mixture.
- Stir in broth.
- Bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until slightly thickened.
- Drain pasta; toss with chicken mixture.
- Spoon half of the mixture into a greased baking dish.
- Sprinkle with half of the cheeses.
- Repeat layers.
- Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
- Then uncover and bake for 15-20 minutes longer or until internal temperature of chicken reaches 165 degrees.
- 1 Medium Onion, chopped
- 6 T. Olive Oil
- 3 Garlic Cloves, minced
- 2 Cups Crushed Tomatoes
- 1 Cup Chicken Broth
- 1 T. Dried Basil
- 1 tsp. Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
- ¼ tsp. Pepper
- 16 Oz. Package Uncooked Penne Pasta
- 24 Oz. Havarti Cheese, cut into ½ inch cubes
- 1 Cup Pitted Ripe Olives, serve whole or sliced
- 1/3 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
- In a Dutch oven, sauté onions in oil until tender.
- Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer.
- Stir in tomatoes, broth, basil, pepper flakes and pepper.
- Bring to boil.
- Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 25-30 minutes until sauce thickens.
- Cook penne according to package directions; drain.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Stir Havarti cheese, olives and cooked penne into the sauce.
- Transfer to a greased 13×9 baking dish; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
- Cover and bake 20 minutes.
- Uncover and bake 5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.
I hope you enjoy these Minnesota Hot Dishes and keep hoping that winter is finally over. Enjoy! I know I will.
