going casserole crazy

Eek! Wow, what a busy week! Well, I’ve been doing a lot of paper grading and . . . can you guess what else I’ve been doing from the blog title? That’s right! Casserole making! I don’t know what came over me the last week but I was craving something warm and satisfying, something to really hit the spot. And of course I thought, duh, casserole!

Here are some of the yummy things I’ve been cooking up while I’ve been slaving away grading. I went a little casserole crazy to put it simply.

Breakfast Sausage and Egg casserole! this is by far one of my new all time favorite breakfasts. It’s really simple to make and I like the fact that you can really customize this baby to your own tastes and particularities.

Served with a dollop of greek yogurt…

Recipe:

6 eggs
1/2 lb. ground sausage (browned)
1 cup green beans
1 cup cauliflower
1 cup tomatoes
1 cup cheese
2 tbs blue cheese
salt and pepper
1 tbs fresh thyme
splash of heavy cream

Mix eggs and then stir in all other ingredients in a large bowl. Butter a square casserole dish. Pour contents of bowl into the pan and bake uncovered for about 30 minutes at 375 degrees.  Serve with a dollop of plan greek yogurt or sour cream and a side of salsa. Yum, yum!

For dinner the other day I made this yummy chicken and bean casserole!

I  loved this casserole so much I made it twice in one week…..that should tell you something!

I got the recipe here but substituted the canned green beans for fresh and also added in some cauliflower and fresh herbs (thyme especially).

Now I’m off to bed. More fun post coming soon I promise!

When was the last time you made a casserole?
What is your favorite casserole recipe?

what I had for dinner: beef stew on a rainy day!

In honor of the rain outside today…..

I made beef stew!

Every time I make stew it’s a little bit different. I tend to throw whatever veggies I have in the frig into the pot. This is a great way to use up “stuff” that looks to be on its way to turning bad.

This seriously took less than a half hour to throw together. And then about an hour until it is ready to eat. I always kinda dread making soup because it seems like such a hard thing to do! And after I’m done throwing everything in the pot I always REremember how easy stew is!

Recipe:
1 lb. stew meat (I brown it in a skillet with coconut oil)
2 boxes of beef broth (I use Imagine’s Organic Beef Flavored Broth)
2 potatoes
2-3 carrots
2-3 cups green beans
2 cups cauliflower
1 cup green onion
1 cup leek (this was a new addition, I liked!)
salt, pepper
fresh thyme (I put a lot!)
fresh rosemary
3 cloves garlic
splash of wine (if you have it)
splash of Worcestershire sauce

Pretty much the basic idea is: throw in some meat, veggies and seasoning, and you’re pretty much guaranteed a good meal!

Dessert was…..

and…..

Yeah, I had already eaten like three of them….so. good!

what I had for lunch: greek salad

Lunch today was simple: my favorite greek salad…

Recipe:
2 cucumbers
1-2 cups cherry tomato
1 cup kalamata olives
1 1/2 cups feta
2 cloves garlic
drizzle of olive oil
drizzle of apple cider vinegar

And of course I had me some french press with heavy cream, yuuum!

no noodle spaghetti!

Not that I have anything against noodles, but I try to sneak in as many veggies as I can. One yummy way I’ve found to do this is to make spaghetti with spaghetti squash instead of pasta. Guess what, it’s SO GOOD!

Here was dinner tonight….

Try, try, try this! You won’t be disappointed I can promise you!

dinner idea: browse the deli!

I often stop by the food deli at my local coop for ideas when I’m trying to figure out something to eat for dinner. The green beans in the picture below happen to be the result of last night’s deli browsing! I steamed the beans and then drizzled a bit of tahini, olive oil and tamari, then mixed with my fingers. For the finishing touch I sprinkled sesame seeds, yum! This was a winner! I love beans but lately I just haven’t had the heart to eat them as I usually just steam them and add butter, this added some variety to one of my favorite veggies!

blend it.

I’ve been experimenting with different smoothie ingredient lately and this is my latest concoction:

I often use what’s left over in my frig for these little experiments, this morning it was fresh spinach, frozen berries, whey, yogurt, peanut butter and a splash of coconut milk!

Blend it.

And the finished product tastes…….!!! Like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich   hmmmmm. Not a total FAIL but not a total win either. I liked it but it wasn’t to die for.

What is your favorite smoothie recipe?