Stuffed Squash

This is the other recipe that works well in a pumpkin. I actually like this recipe better for eating a meal cooked in a pumpkin. Bake the pumpkin for an hour to an hour and a half covered with foil in a 350 degree oven. Do not cut in half. Be sure to put the pumpkin on a pan!

1 Squash (Butternut works well!) cut in half. Scoop out the seeds and add a pat of butter (or two) and brown sugar. Cover with foil and bake for an hour at 350 degrees.

Filling:

1 lb of ground pork or turkey (I use turkey), browned, season with 1 T of Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.
2 stalks of celery, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
Mushrooms if desired.

Saute the veggies.

Mix the veggies with the meat and add:
3/4 C of sour cream
1 T of prepared yellow mustard
1/4 C Shredded Parmesan Cheese

Add filling to squash. Sprinkle with a little more Parmesan. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Spoon liquid from the bottom of the baking dish over the top when serving.

This is really yummy and when you use the turkey, it's pretty healthy, too! Enjoy!

Hamburger Chinese Rice

The next two posts are great meals for putting in a pumpkin for Halloween. Gut the pumpkin and bake it for an hour to an hour and a half first, just to get it softer before you add the rest of the ingredients. I would cover it with foil and leave the top off. Make sure your pumpkin is small enough to fit in the oven and be sure to use a pan underneath. The pumpkins for pies are a little too small.

1 1/2 C Rice (I use minute rice)
1 or 2 lbs hamburger
1 onion, chopped
1 green pepper*
3 stalks celery, chopped*
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
1 can of cream of chicken soup
1 can of water
1 T soy sauce
Chinese noodles (don't use when baking in a pumpkin.)

Cook hamburger, onion, celery and green pepper. Combine all ingredients and pour in a 9" x 13" pan. Cook for 45 minutes, covered, at 350 degrees. Then uncover and put Chinese noodles on top. Cook for 15 minutes more.

*Leave out the green pepper and celery to make it more kid-friendly. I used to leave it out when you were young because none of you would eat it. When I started leaving it out, you ate it!

Creamy Caprese Pasta

Creamy Caprese Pasta

serves 4-6

1 pound whole wheat pasta (noodles such as penne work best)
1 cup of your favorite pasta/tomato sauce
1/3 cup heavy cream or half and half
1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese + more for garnish
4 ounces fresh mozzarella, cut into cubes
1 pint of grape tomatoes (I cut some in half and left some whole)
1 bunch of fresh basil leaves

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Boil water and cook pasta according to directions.

While pasta is cooking, heat tomato sauce over low heat in a large saucepan. Once warm, stir in heavy cream and grated parmesan. Once pasta is done cooking, drain and dump into the sauce, mixing to coat and turning off heat. Fold in mozzarella cubes and tomatoes, then chop 3-4 fresh basil leaves and add them in too. Once combined, spray a baking dish with non-stick spray and pour the entire pasta mixture into the dish. Top with fresh mozzarella rounds. Bake for 25 minutes, or until cheese is golden and bubbly.

Top with additional fresh basil and grated cheese. Serve with garlic bread. You can also add in chicken, steak or seafood for some protein.

Chicken and Broccoli Casserole

This has been a favorite of mine since I was in college and my roommates and I cooked for an apartment of boys! They loved it, too. This is one of Dad's favorite recipes and he asks for this when he gets to choose the menu.

Butter a 9" x 13" pan.

Precook about 6 chicken breasts (or a whole chicken or 10 to 12 chicken tenders) with whatever method you desire. If you bake it, you can use water instead of chicken broth for the sauce. I usually boil the chicken with onions, bay leaf, basil, salt and pepper. Cut into cubes. (I've not tried it shredded.)

Cook one large package of broccoli (not Sam's Club Large - just grocery store large - not sure how many ounces - probably 16.) You can also use fresh broccoli, but only cook it half way. Drain the water.

Lay the broccoli in the buttered casserole dish. Lay the chicken on top of the broccoli.You can sprinkle the chicken with sliced almonds, mushrooms and a little parsley before you cover it with the sauce. I usually skip that.

Sauce:
2 cans Cream of Chicken soup
1 C Mayonnaise
1/4 C Chicken Broth (from chicken)
1/2 t Curry powder

Put the sauce over it and then sprinkle the sauce with buttered bread crumbs. I found that toasting 4 pieces of bread, buttering them and then processing them in my food processor makes a great bread topping.

Cover with foil, removing for the last 10 minutes. Bake at 325 degrees for 1/2 hour. You can make this ahead and keep in the refrigerator, but bake for 1 hour.

S