Casserole Recipe: Cheesy Tomato Sausage Pasta Bake

Few things are tastier and more comforting than mac and cheese, but this one’s a game changer. Sausage and cheese rotini. This dish has a creamy tomato cheese sauce, flavorful sausage and then it’s topped with even more cheese; that’s what we call elevated comfort food!
If you are plagued with picky eaters in the family (don’t worry, we still love them) or are just looking for a way to reinvent a classic, this recipe is the perfect choice! While you’ll have several pots going on the stove at once, the separate components come together quickly and the rave reviews you’ll get from your third-party food critics (children) will have you adding this dish to your weekly rotation!

Rotini Sausage Casserole
Serves 6

Ingredients

• 1 pound (2 cups) rotini (or macaroni)
• 3/4 pound ground pork sausage
• 1 (14 oz) can crushed tomatoes, drained
• 1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1 cup cheddar cheese, grated; plus more for topping
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1-2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• salt and pepper, to taste
• water for boiling

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350º F.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and cook pasta until just al dente. Drain and set aside.
3. In a large pan over medium-high heat, cook sausage until nicely browned and no longer pink.
4. Drain fat and add tomatoes. Add in sugar, stir well and reduce heat to low. Season with salt and pepper.
5. In a sauce pan, melt butter over medium-low heat and add in 1-2 tablespoons of flour. Mix continuously to break up flour and create roux.
6. Once roux has thickened, add in heavy cream and nutmeg and bring to a boil.
7. Reduce to a simmer and add parmesan and cheddar cheese. Stir until cheeses have melted. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
8. After cheeses have fully melted, pour cream mixture into the tomato sauce and mix together.
9. Pour pasta into tomato cream sauce, making sure to coat pasta thoroughly with sauce.
10. Transfer pasta and sauce to an 8x8 or 9x13 baking dish (or individual ramekins). Top pasta with more cheddar cheese, place in oven and bake for 30 minutes.
11. Let cool for 10 minutes, garnish with basil and enjoy!

Spanish-Inspired Tapas Recipe: Spicy Patatas Bravas

Patatas Bravas are to Spain what chicken wings are to the U.S.—glorified and delicious barfood. Like chicken wings, patatas bravas come in a variety of shapes and forms; some are comprised of spicy tomato sauce, some of garlic aioli, and some a combination of the two. The common denominator in the mix is the presence of golden brown potatoes. You can really never go wrong with potatoes. If you like and want to try more Spanish food, or if you want to branch out from your go-to snacks during game season, try this popular tapa recipe…. You won’t be disappointed!

Patatas Bravas

Serves 8

Ingredients

• 4 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 (14 oz.) can chopped tomatoes
• 1-2 yellow onions, minced
• 3 large cloves garlic, minced
• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2-3 teaspoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
• salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

1. [Made day in advance] Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pan, add onions and cook over medium-high heat until softened. 6-7 minutes.
2. Add the garlic, tomatoes, tomato paste, paprika, chili powder, sugar, salt and pepper, and bring to a boil.
3. Once boiling, lower heat and let simmer for 10-15 minutes, until reduced and pulpy.
4. Remove from heat, cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.
5. Preheat oven to 400º F.
6. Take potato cubes and spread them out over 1-2 baking trays. Drizzle remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil over the top and season with salt and pepper. Toss gently to cover all sides of potatoes.
7. Bake for 50 minutes, or until potatoes are golden brown and lightly crisped.
8. While potatoes bake, reheat tomato chili sauce in a saucepan over medium heat.
9. Remove potatoes from oven, transfer to bowls and serve with tomato sauce on top.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Fudge Milkshake

Had a rough day and looking for a little pick-me-up? This chocolate peanut butter milkshake will do just the trick! For times when you want to indulge, this treat is the best; it’s not something super fancy where you feel you have to go out and buy it from somewhere special and you probably already have the ingredients at home. Chocolate and peanut butter are a heavenly duo in our book, and this shake is so thick and creamy, you’ll first want a spoon to eat it with, quickly followed by a second helping. Sure to brighten your day, go ahead and whip up a batch (or two)!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Fudge Milkshake

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 2 cups good quality vanilla ice cream
• 2/3 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup chocolate fudge sauce
• 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 cup ice cubes
• whipped cream, garnish

Directions

1. [Put serving glass in freezer 25 minutes before preparing milkshake.]
2. Place ice, ice cream and milk in a blender and pulse for 5-10 seconds.
3. Add chocolate fudge sauce and peanut butter and pulse for another 10 seconds.
4. Remove top and mix by hand for 20 seconds. This helps aerate the shake.
5. Pour into chilled serving glass and garnish with whipped cream.
   

Note: the better the quality of ice cream, the better the shake. When choosing between two vanilla ice creams, choose whichever one is heaver. This means the ice cream is denser and thicker, giving you a thicker and richer milkshake.

Salad Recipe: Roasted Beet and Navel Orange Goat Cheese Salad

If ever you thought to yourself, “I’d really love to have a beautiful salad, today,” this is absolutely the one to make! Beets are a gorgeous and delicious vegetable, and they deserve much more attention than they’re usually given. Their earthy flavor goes really well with the goat cheese and oranges in this recipe, and they leave behind a fabulous pink color that turns your plate into a watercolor painting. This salad is perfect and easy if you want to make a great impression on your dinner guests, in terms of both taste and presentation—you won’t be disappointed!

Orange, Beet and Goat Cheese Salad

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 2 beets
• 2 navel oranges, with juices
• 1 bunch (8 oz.) beetroot leaves
• 1 bunch (8 oz.) arugula
• 6 oz. soft goat cheese, crumbled
• 1/3 cup fresh pomegranate seeds
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450º F.
2. Wrap individual beets in aluminum foil and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until tender.
3. Remove beets from oven and let cool completely before handling. Rub skin off with a paper towel and cut into wedges.
4. Take oranges and cut both ends off. Use a paring knife, carefully cut the peel and white pith off of the fruit.
5. Over a bowl, cut the oranges between the membranes to get full slices.
6. Juice whatever orange you have remaining (including membranes) into a small bowl.
7. Add olive oil to the orange juice, whisking continuously, and season with salt and pepper.
8. Arrange beetroot and arugula leaves on serving plates, top with beet wedges, orange slices and pomegranate seeds, then add crumbled goat cheese.
9. Serve with dressing.

Quick Appetizer Recipe: Cheesy Parmesan Zucchini Crisps

This is a great appetizer or side dish for those who have family members that are less than enthusiastic about eating their vegetables—cover the zucchini in cheese and you won’t be hearing any complaints from them! We love recipes that don’t require a lot of brainpower, and this one takes less than 10 minutes to prep. Pop your zucchini in the oven and get someone else to prepare the rest of dinner, you’ve done your job. Regardless of who does the actual cooking, it’s always nice to have a winning recipe in your back pocket!

Parmesan Zucchini Crisps

Serves 2-4

Ingredients

• 2-3 zucchinis, thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
• 2 tablespoons milk
• salt and pepper, to taste
• olive oil, as needed

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425º F and lightly grease baking sheet with olive oil.
2. Set up one bowl with milk and a separate bowl with Parmesan, salt and pepper.
3. Take thinly sliced zucchini and dip it in milk. Shake off excess and press both sides firmly into the seasoned Parmesan mixture.
4. Place slices on baking sheet and top with minced garlic.
5. Place in oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until golden brown and tender.

Appetizer Recipe: Classic Blooming Onions

For some people, indulgence is sitting down at the kitchen counter in the middle of the night and chowing down on baked goods of some sort. For others, it involves savory and salty fried goodies; today’s dish is one of the latter. If you’ve ever been fortunate enough to order this appetizer at a restaurant—an entire onion that has been fried in a zesty, beer batter—you’ll appreciate this recipe; if not, you'll be thanking us shortly. We bring you the Bloomin’ Onion!
The presentation of this side dish alone would indicate that it’s really difficult to make, rendering it impossible to try at home, but that’s simply not true! While you do need to gather a fair amount of ingredients if you want maximum flavor and spice, you’re perfectly capable of making this light and refreshing snack (oh, the irony) at home—make it and see if your family members can pick their jaws up off the floor so they can dive in!

Blooming Onion

Serves 8

Ingredients
Batter:

• 3 large, sweet onions
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 24 oz. beer
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• oil, for frying, as needed

Seasoning:

• 2 cups flour
• 3 teaspoons paprika
• 1 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne

Dip:

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 tablespoons ketchup
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions

1. Take and peel your onion and cut off the top. Place, cut side down, so that the root is facing up.
2. Starting 1/2-inch from the root, make 12-16 vertical slices down through the onion. It’s important not to cut too closely to the root, or it will fall apart.
3. Flip onion over and gently separate “petals” so there’s space between the different slices.
4. In a large bowl, mix your seasoning ingredients together: flour, paprika, garlic powder, pepper and cayenne.
5. In a separate, large bowl, combine your batter ingredients: flour, cornstarch, garlic, paprika, salt and pepper.
6. Add beer to the batter ingredients and make sure to mix well and incorporate everything.
7. Fill a deep pot, Dutch oven or deep fryer with enough oil for the onions to be able to float. Cook over medium-high heat until temperature reaches 375º F.
8. First dredge your onions in the seasoning, top and bottom, flipping over to get mixture deep into the sliced petals. Shake off excess.
9. Dip onions into batter and make sure to coat thoroughly. Flip over so that the batter drips into the bottom parts that are tricky to cover. Shake off excess.
10. Re-dip in seasoning, sprinkling extra into the cracks, if needed. Shake off excess.
11. Using a slotted spoon, gently lower onions into frying oil and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until bottom is golden brown.
12. Flip over and cook the other side for another 2 minutes, or until golden brown.
13. Using the same slotted spoon, remove onions to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Season with salt and pepper.
14. In a medium-sized bowl, combine dip ingredients and stir well.
15. Serve onions immediately with dip and enjoy!

Halloween Dessert Recipe: Spooky Cake Pop Witches

Okay, we found the perfect Halloween treat that wonderfully encapsulates the holiday spirit—it’s a smidge labor-intensive, but so worth it when you see the adorable result and the joy on all the kids’ faces! (We’re assuming children will be eating them, but fact is everyone will go crazy over this treat!)
The cake pops themselves are super easy to make, it’s just the decoration that takes some time; if you decide to change strategy and go for a slightly more stream-lined approach, fine by us, they’ll still be super cute. Also, if you’re okay with loosening the reins in the kitchen, go ahead and get the kids involved. It’s a great afternoon activity and they get to see the fruits of their labor and create spooky treats!

Cake Pop Witches

Yields 4 dozen

Ingredients

• 1 (18 oz.) package cake mix (vanilla, chocolate, red velvet, etc.)
• 1 (12 oz.) package white chocolate chips
• 3/4 (16 oz.) tub vanilla or cream cheese frosting
• 1 tablespoon vegetable shortening
• 1/2-1 package ready-to-use white fondant (Wilton White Decorator Preferred Fondant, 24 oz.)
• food coloring (green)
• icing coloring (black, orange, purple—or primary colors to make your own)
• lollipop sticks
• parchment paper
• 2 pieces of thick Styrofoam

Directions

1. Bake your cake according to packaging directions and let cool completely. (Or make cake the night before.) Divide it into quarters and put the first quarter into a large bowl. Using two forks, begin crumbling your cake and breaking it down. Once you finish that quarter of cake, add the next quarter to the bowl and repeat with other sections.
2. Once all of your cake is finely crumbled, spoon 3/4 tub of frosting into the bowl. Using your hands or continuing with your forks, incorporate the frosting until no more white is visible and it’s completely blended in. Using a small ice cream scooper (or just your hands), form walnut-size balls out of the cake and set on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Place in freezer for 30 minutes, or until very firm.
3. Set up a double-boiler with a heat-proof, glass bowl set over a saucepan, 2 inches full of water. Place white chocolate chips in the glass bowl and cook over low heat, stirring until chocolate is completely melted. Add in vegetable shortening and 2 drops green food coloring, stir well and incorporate fully.
4. Take your cake balls out of the freezer and insert lollipop sticks into the bottom of them. Dip or roll your cake balls in the green chocolate, paying close attention to the spot where the cake meets the stick. Firmly press the lollipop sticks into the Styrofoam in order for the cake and frosting to dry standing up. (Or you could dry on the parchment paper, but that will flatten them out a little.)
5. Take your fondant and divide it into 3 sections; these will be different colors (black, orange and purple). Roll each section into a small ball and use a toothpick to dab spots of color on it. Red and yellow to make your orange fondant, red and blue for your purple. Knead balls of fondant until the color is fully absorbed and there are no streaks. Once you get the right colors, roll your orange fondant out to about 1/8^th-inch thickness and cut into thin strips. Roll these strips slightly so they are just rounded.
6. Cut the orange strips into 2-inch pieces, take 10 pieces and arrange them to look like hair on top of your cake ball witches. Cut several smaller pieces for the bangs. With your black fondant, divide the ball in 2 sections: one (small) section for the noses and mouths, one (large) section for the hats.
7. For the hats, roll out approximately 48 flattened discs and place on top of the hair you created. These are the bases of the hats. Continue with the black fondant and create 48 mini cones. Using the tips of your fingers, bend the ends of the cones to look like the top of an old hat. Place these on top of the flattened discs.
8. Roll out a thin amount of purple fondant (1/8-inch thickness) and cut into 48 thin strips (just like you did with the orange fondant). Cut into smaller pieces and wrap each mini rope around the base of your witch’s hat. Take a mini orange rope and create a buckle-like square to go on top of the purple band. Press gently so it adheres.
9. Roll out thin, curved strips of black fondant to create mouths for the witches and place two black dots of fondant on their faces for the eyes.
10. Serve and enjoy!