Butternut Squash With Penne and Sausage
2-1/2 cups penne pasta
1 butternut squash, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound ground sausage meat
1 small onion, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
3 tablespoons fresh chopped sage (or 2 tablespoons dry rubbed)
1 tablespoon dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Preheat oven to 425°F. Boil penne pasta per package directions, until just tender. Set aside in water. In a fry pan, brown sausage and onion, and garlic. Drain and return fat to pan. Transfer sausage to large bowl. Add olive oil to fry pan and sauté squash until edges are brown. Add squash to sausage. Drain pasta. Add to sausage and squash. Add sage, rosemary, cinnamon, red pepper flakes. Toss lightly to mix. Pour vinegar and Worcestershire in fry pan, heat on low to medium and scrape to deglaze. Add liquid and bits to sausage mixture. Toss lightly.Transfer to a large casserole. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until top is browned and squash is tender. (To retain moisture, bake with lid on casserole.) Serve with Parmesan cheese.
Cheesy Quick Chicken Casserole
3 cups shell noodles uncooked
3 tablespoons butter
⅓ cup red bell pepper diced
1 onion finely diced
½ teaspoon seasoning salt
1 teaspoon chili powder
10 ¾ ounces cream of chicken soup condensed
1 ⅓ cups milk
3 cups sharp cheddar cheese shredded, divided
⅓ cup parmesan cheese shredded
4 ounces mild green chiles or green olives, your preference
3 cups cooked chicken
Heat oven to 375°F. Cook shells al dente according to package directions. Cook onion and red bell pepper in butter until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in salt and chili powder. In a large bowl combine soup, onion mixture, milk and 2 cups cheddar cheese and parmesan cheese. Mix well. Stir in chicken, pasta and green chiles (or olives). Spread into a 9×13 casserole dish. Top with remaining cheese. Bake 30-35 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
Notes: Any medium pasta will work in this recipe. Be sure to cook it so it’s still a bit firm, it’ll cook more in the oven.This recipe is versatile, you can swap out the chicken for ham or turkey.
If adding extra vegetables, ensure they’re pre-cooked (leftovers work well).
To Add a Bread Crumb Topping: Combine 3 tablespoons panko crumbs with 1 tablespoon melted butter (add a sprinkle of garlic powder, salt & pepper). Sprinkle over the casserole and bake as directed.
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