Kielbasa Bundles

We love just about any type of sausage around this house, and we love bread.  So when the two marry, we have happy mouths.  We all liked this easy recipe (and I love it when they love easy).  It's another I wrote down long ago and just now got around to trying.  Tasty!

1/2 lb kielbasa, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

1 T butter

2 tubes crescent rolls

1 egg

4 slices American, halved

Cook sausage in skillet 5 - 8 minutes.  Add onion, garlic and butter; cook until tender.  Unroll crescent roll dough and form 8 rectangles.  Place a cheese slice on half of each rectangle; top with 2 T sausage mix.  Fold dough over filling and pinch edges to seal; fold seam under.  Beat egg and brush over dough.  Bake according to crescent roll package. 

Taco Pasta Shells

I wrote down this recipe from who-knows-where a long time ago but forgot all about it.  I wish I hadn't!  It's a new family favorite.  Tasty and filling.  All five thumbs up!  (And no judging the photo.  We were in a huge hurry.  Grin.)

1 lb ground beef

3 oz cream cheese

1 t salt

1 t chili powder

18 jumbo shells

2 T butter

1 c taco sauce

1 c shredded cheddar

1 1/2 c crushed tortilla chips

8 oz sour cream

Cook beef in skillet.  Add cream cheese, salt and chili powder.  Mix and simmer 5 minutes.  Boil shells according to package.  Toss cooked shells in butter.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Fill shells with beef mixture and arrange in 9 x 13; pour taco sauce on top.  Cover with foil and bake 15 minutes.  Add cheese and chips; bake 15 more minutes.  Top with sour cream and serve. 

Hearty Sausage Sandwich

Note to self:  don't type up recipes at night.  It makes you hungry at the worst time.  But I'm making the sacrifice for you. 

I really like this recipe.  While it's similar to the Beef Stroganoff Sandwich that I've made for years, it's enough different that I found it worthwhile to stash here.  It's a keeper from Taste of Home. 

1 lb bulk Italian sausage

1 medium onion, chopped

1/2 c chopped green pepper

1 garlic clove, minced

8 oz cream cheese, cubed

1/4 c chopped fresh mushrooms

1/4 c grated Parmesan

1/4 c water

1/4 t oregano

1 loaf Italian bread

1 1/2 c shredded mozzarella

In a large skillet, cook the sausage, onion, green pepper and garlic; drain.  Add cream cheese, mushrooms,  Parmesan, water and oregano.  Cook and stir until well-blended.  Cut bread in half horizontally; hollow out top and bottom, leaving a 3/4 inch shell.  Place bread bottom on a baking sheet.  Sprinkle with half of the mozzarella cheese, top with sausage and remaining cheese.  Bake for 25 - 30 minutes at 350. 

Chicken with Mushroom Sauce

This is a new favorite!  I found it at Better Homes and Gardens.  It was easy and yummy, (and the kids liked that they didn't have to eat the mushrooms but could still enjoy the sauce).  Plus, it only took about a half an hour to fix!

4 chicken breasts

1 t olive oil

2 c sliced fresh mushrooms

1 medium sweet pepper, cut into small squares

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 c chicken broth

salt and pepper, to taste

1/2 c sour cream

1 T flour

1/8 t pepper

2 c hot cooked rice

Lightly coat skillet with Pam.  Preheat over medium heat and cook chicken for 3 - 5 minutes or until browned, turning once.  Remove from skillet.

Add oil to hot skillet.  Cook the mushrooms, pepper and garlic in hot oil until tender.  Remove veggies and keep warm.  Carefully stir broth into the skillet.  Return chicken to skillet and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Bring to boiling; reduce heat.  Simmer, covered, for 5 - 7 minutes or until chicken is done.  Transfer to a platter and keep warm. 

For sauce, in a bowl stir together sour cream, flour and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper until smooth.  Stir into mixture in skillet.  Cook and stir until bubbly and then 1 minute more.  Serve chicken, vegetables and sauce over rice.  Enjoy!

Tropical Lime Chicken

This is a little different, but I like different. And I think it's especially good for summer time. You can broil it or fix it on the grill for about the same amount of time. It's one of those recipes that I don't know where I found it, but I'm glad I did!

Salsa:

1/2 c pineapple tidbits

1 medium kiwi, peeled and chopped

1/4 c chopped sweet red pepper

1 T lime juice

1 T white wine vinegar

1 T honey

1 t crushed red pepper

Chicken:

3 T, plus 1 1/2 t lime juice

1 T canola oil

1 T grated lime peel

1/8 t salt

1/8 t pepper

4 boneless chicken breasts

1 c couscous

In a small bowl, combine the salsa ingredients and refrigerate until serving. In a large Ziploc bag, combine the lime juice, oil, lime peel, salt and pepper and add the chicken. Seal the bag. Turn to coat; refrigerate 2 - 4 hours.

Drain and discard marinade. Place chicken on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Broil 3 inches from the heat for 5 - 6 minutes on each side or until done. Serve with couscous and salsa.

Turkey Muffuletta

Almost all of us like this.  My younger son doesn't count because he doesn't like pizza or peanut butter, so you can see he's just weird.  I love him anyway.  But this is a super-easy, tasty sandwich that also sits well in the fridge for the next day.  Now, isn't that nice?  I found it in the December/January 2008 Taste of Home magazine.

1 loaf Italian bread

1/3 c olive oil

3 T balsamic vinegar

1 t dried basil

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 t salt

1/4 t crushed red pepper

3/4 pound sliced deli turkey

6 oz provolone cheese, sliced

1 (7 oz) jar roasted sweet red peppers, drained and sliced

1/2 c sliced pimento-stuffed olives (I used them even though I don't like them.  It's good!)

1 large tomato, sliced

3 T shredded Romano cheese

1 t oregano

1/4 t pepper

Cut bread in half lengthwise and hollow out top and bottom, leaving a shell.  In a small bowl, combine the oil, vinegar, basil, garlic, salt and red pepper.  Brush over cut sides of bread.  In the bottom bread shell, layer turkey, provolone, peppers, olives and tomato.  Sprinkle with Romano cheese, oregano and pepper.  Replace bread top.  Wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate for 30 minutes.  Cut into slices and serve!

Chicken Tetrazzini

Often when I make a meal to take to someone, this is the main dish.  It's one of our absolute favorite foods, and if I don't double it when I'm making it for someone else so that we have some too, I get in big trouble.  I made it for my mother-in-law when she had foot surgery and got some dirty looks from my husband and boys until they realized that there was one in the freezer for them for another day.  It's from an old Betty Crocker Cookbook.  Gotta love Betty! 

1 package (7 oz) spaghetti, broken into thirds

1/4 c butter

1/4 c flour

1/2 t salt

1/4 t pepper

1 c chicken broth

1 c heavy whipping cream

2 T water (or dry sherry)

2 c cubed cooked chicken

1 can sliced mushrooms, drained

1/2 c grated Parmesan cheese

Heat oven to 350.  Cook spaghetti according to package.  While it's cooking, melt butter in a saucepan over low heat.  Stir in flour, salt and pepper.  Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth and bubbly; remove from heat.  Stir in broth and whipping cream.  Heat to boiling, stirring constantly.  Boil and stir one minute.

Drain spaghetti.  Stir spaghetti, water/sherry, chicken and mushrooms into sauce.  Pour mixture into an ungreased 2-quart casserole.  Sprinkle with cheese.  Bake uncovered about 30 minutes or until bubbly in center.