Whatcha Got Cookin?

Finding good recipes can sometimes be a challenge and I think we're all in search of the next yummy recipe to try out on the family.  I've had great success with a couple of different websites.  Williams and Sonoma and Simply Recipes.  Since I posted a few days ago about stocking the freezer up, I've had a handful of people ask for some recipes.  I'd like to preface these recipes with a little word of caution.  I hardly ever cook straight from the recipe.  I usually use it as a guide, then add a ton more onion, garlic, spices and vegetables.  Dinner is the meal I can hide the veggies in so the kids will eat them, so it has to pack a punch.  That being said, I'm sure these recipes are good just as they are, but I've never really tried them without altering them!  Here are a few of the recipes that are currently in my freezer.

Spinach and Pine Nut Cannelloni  This recipe is one of my favorites!  SO darn good.  I make my own sauce for it with lots of onions and garlic and sometimes some ground hamburger or turkey, if I'm in the mood.  I also add extra pine nuts and chop them all up before I put them in the dish.  The kids seem to like it better that way.  I also forgo the actual "cannelloni" noodles and opt for some lasagna noodles.  It is so much easier just to roll up the stuffing in a lasagna noodle than it is to actually stuff a noodle.  I tripled the recipe to make enough to fill two 9 x 13 pans (one for immediate consumption and one for freezing).


Potato Spinach Sausage Casserole  This one got the thumbs up from the kids, which is always good!  I opted for some sweet organic chicken sausage instead of Italian sausage, just because sausage kind of grosses me out right now.  It was full-flavored and surprisingly filling and could easily be used as a side dish or a main course.


Broccoli Cheese Casserole  I liked this a lot, but would prefer it as a side dish to complement some chicken breast.  Again, I added onion and garlic and also some cauliflower to bulk it up a bit.


Chicken and Rice Casserole  One of the few recipes I found for chicken and rice casserole that didn't include Cream of Mushroom or Cream of Chicken soup.  I am not a fan of that stuff.  Pretty much any flavorful item in this recipe, I added more of.  More wine, more spices, more onion, more garlic, etc...  I also chopped the mushrooms really little in hopes that the kids would swallow them down easier.  Naomi still spit each little piece of mushroom out as she went, but Lawson gobbled it up and I found it delicious!


White Chicken Chili  This is a favorite because it's done in the crockpot, which means you literally throw all the ingredients in the pot, leave it to cook all day then enjoy or freeze.  I made a double recipe at the same time as I made the potato spinach sausage casserole and then just froze the whole batch in two freezer bags.

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast (shredded or cut into small pieces)
1 large onion
4 or 5 garlic cloves
2 cans great northern beans
1 16 oz can of tomatillos (drained and cut up)
1 can of diced tomotoes with green chiles (or just dice up fresh ones... yum.)
1 4 oz can chopped green chile peppers
1 1/2 cups corn kernals (fresh is best, but frozen or canned would also work)
2+ cups of chicken broth (depends on your desired consistency.  I like mine thicker.)
3 Tbs lime juice
Spices to taste:  oregano, coriander, cumin, pepper, salt
1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese (or more, if you really like cheese like I do)
sour cream

Cook the chicken breasts in a frying pan until nicely browned.  Set aside until cool and shred or chop into small pieces.  Add the onion to the pan and cook with a little oil and chicken broth until just translucent (5 minutes or so).  Add all the ingredients (except the cheese and sour cream) to the crockpot and let cook for 8-10 hours.  Add a dollop of sour cream and a handful of the shredded cheese to the top when served. 


Hope you find a few that look appealing to you!  Enjoy!