Italian Sausage Pasta Bake
Need a “simple ingredient meal?” You’re in the right place. Let’s jump right in.
Need a “simple ingredient meal?” You’re in the right place. Let’s jump right in.
INGREDIENTS
1 box penne or mini penne pasta
1 large jar pasta sauce (I prefer Raos marinara)
1 package mild Italian sausage (ground or links sliced)
2 cups mozzarella cheese
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350
Cook pasta according to package directions
Cook sausage
Prepare a 9X13 baking dish with nonstick spray
Drain pasta, add jar of sauce and cooked sausage. Mix.
Pour mixture into prepared pan
Top generously with mozzarella
Bake until cheese is melted - and broil until browned bits appear
Serve and enjoy!
I love this one because it’s a simple pantry staple meal and kids love it. Plus, by adding a simple side salad, it feels cohesive and filling with very little effort.
Family Meal Planning
I’ve been asked time and time again how I plan meals for my family, and ways to make the process as stress-free as possible. So today, I’m dusting off the blog to finally share that process with my friends and perhaps old readers ;)
I’ve been asked time and time again how I plan meals for my family, and ways to make the process as stress-free as possible. So today, I’m dusting off the blog to finally share that process with my friends and perhaps old readers ;)
Now, keep in mind that I have a tendency to ramble, and I want to fit in all the details to cover any questions. Ultimately, though, if you can make this a practice in your home, it only takes one night a MONTH to really sit down and plan, and then a few minutes once a week.
Here are the basics of the process:
Once a month: At the end of the month plan out dinners (and only dinners!) for the next month. This can be time-consuming if you let yourself get distracted, but by creating a master list of your family’s favorite meals, it shouldn’t take more than an hour.
Weekly: sit down for a few minutes and simply fill in the planned dinners, and rotate through your family’s usual breakfasts and lunches.
Grocery shop: I order from Kroger and have it delivered each week.
Prep fruits and veggies for the week and store them appropriately to keep them fresh and easy to grab, and pull out any frozen meat that will need to be thaw.
I’ve been using this process for probably 3+ years and made my own meal planning sheets that I print off and fill out. My brain just works better in this process if I physically write it out myself and erase and move things as I need throughout the month/week. I actually keep mine on the front of our fridge so I can glance at it quickly and so can everyone else in my house.
However, it would be very easy to use this template on your computer and view from there.
If you visit that link, you’ll see the tabs of each version on the bottom of the page. My monthly template, weekly template, and then examples of how I fill out each one.
Now, how I decide on what to fill in?
This is where you start to take your family’s preferences into account. Once a week I do Mexican, pasta, chicken, and takeout. I’ve also had phases of pizza once a week, or a frozen Trader Joe’s meal. A soup? Seafood? Veggie based? Beef? Breakfast for dinner? Takeout twice (or more?) a week? Whatever your family likes and creates some variety or makes life easier!
When I fill it in for the week, I take into account our plans. If we have late afternoon plans, I wouldn’t schedule a meal that takes a lot of time and effort. And when possible, I do some of the chopping and prep work during the boys’ nap/quiet time, but you do that whenever it’s best for you. Start of the week? End of the day for tomorrow? Whatever! So schedule out your meals in a way that realistically suits your life.
What recipes do I pull from?
I pull from a mixture of family recipes and favorites I’ve acquired from the internet. I throw in a new recipe probably a couple times each month and that gives us a larger library to rotate through (or not if it was a fail haha). Take the season into account - cozy fall recipes, bright spring recipes, etc…
Down below is a master list of our favorite recipes that we rotate through, but I highly encourage you to do this for your home to make the process of meal planning seamless.
If they’re linked, you’ll find a recipe. Over time, I’ll start adding my family recipes to the blog so you can have a link to those as well :)
Breakfasts
Scrambled eggs, bacon, hash
Over easy eggs, toast, sausage
Avocado toast, yogurt
Breakfast burritos
Breakfast sandwiches on English muffins or croissants
Bagels with preferred toppings
Soft boiled egg, toast, sausage
Pancakes (homemade or boxed)
Fresh waffles
Frozen waffles, yogurt
Banana pancakes
Muffins (banana, blueberry, bran)
Scones (lemon blueberry, orange cherry, cherry almond)
Finnish pancakes
Dutch babies
Brioche french toast
Crepes
Cinnamon rolls (easy version or overnight)
Trader Joe’s frozen croissants, yogurt
Peanut butter toast
Cereal
Oatmeal (cinnamon apple, PB banana)
Egg-in-a-hole, bacon
Hashbrown bake
Quiche (bacon asparagus)
Lunches
Leftovers :)
Salami sandwich on croissant
Tuna on croissant
Paninis
Ham and cheese sandwiches
PBJ
Chicken wraps
Grain bowls
Mac n cheese (boxed or frozen)
Quesadillas (with leftover tacos)
Mini frozen tacos from TJs
Egg salad
Potstickers and fried rice
Chicken nuggets
Snack lunch/charcuterie
Grilled cheese and tomato soup
Chicken salad sandwich on croissant
Hot dogs, beans
*I always serve sandwiches with cut fruit and veggies and maybe some chips
Dinners
PASTA
Spaghetti and meatballs
Ravioli
Chicken Alfredo
Pesto pasta
Carbonara
Lasagna
CHICKEN
Chicken pot pie
Chicken divan
Chicken, mushroom sauce, rice, veggie
Chicken, rice, broccoli casserole
Olive garden chicken, potatoes, veg
Grilled tenderized chicken sandwiches on French bread
MEXICAN
Chicken burrito bowls
Taco salad
Ground beef tacos
Birria tacos
Nachos
Tostadas
Mexican pizzas
Fish tacos
Mexican lasagna
SEAFOOD
Seafood boil
Breaded pan fried cod
SOUP
Tortilla soup
Ramen
Chili
OTHER
Meatloaf
Breakfast for dinner
Pizza
Pizza sandwiches
Veggie pizza
Steak and potatoes
Pot roast, carrots, mashed potatoes
Burgers, fries, veggies
Hot dogs, beans, salad
Brats, salad, Mac n cheese
Pasties
Butter chicken and naan/paranthas
Sushi
Mediterranean chicken kabobs with taziki, pitas, hummus and rice
Roasted veggies and sausage
SIDES
Broccoli salad
Roasted veggies (broccoli or root)
Corn bread
Corn on the cob
Pasta salad
Salad
Cottage fries
Cottage cheese (for the boys)
Scalloped potatoes
Roasted potatoes
Rice
Spanish rice
Refried beans
Potato wedges
Mashed potatoes
Grilled summer veggies
Any veggies
Fried rice
Frozen 3 min rice
Frozen french/waffle/sweet potato fries
Garlic bread
I sincerely hope this is something that is helpful to you. Whether or not you use any of this exactly the way I do, maybe you’ve walked away from this post with some ideas. Do you have any other questions for me? Leave me a comment, email me, or shoot me a message on Instagram. I’m happy to help :)
Joy's Rhubarb Custard Pie
Read BELOW the recipe for me talking about how good it is. But I hate scrolling through a long explanation, so here’s the recipe!
Read BELOW the recipe for me talking about how good it is. But I hate scrolling through a long explanation, so here’s the recipe!
Start with halving this Perfect Pie Crust recipe or you could do a pre-made crust - that’s fine too! That pie crust recipe is my absolute go -to for EVERYTHING, though. I use it for chicken pot pie, pasties, all pies, etc… it’s so versatile and tasty and easy.
After allowing the crust to rest in the fridge, roll it out and place in your pie dish.
If store-bought, allow to thaw.
Ingredients
4 C rhubarb, cut into pieces
3 eggs
1/4 C flour
1 C sugar
1/4 C heavy cream
dash of salt
Directions
Preheat oven to 340 degrees on convection - or 360 non-convection.
Blind bake your crust until slightly crispy but not browned. About 15 minutes - give or take.
Cut about 5 stalks of rhubarb (4 cups worth) into small chunks.
In a separate bowl, add eggs and flour.
Using a whisk, beat well to incorporate flour until mostly smooth.
Add sugar, salt, and cream and beat until smooth.
Add rhubarb to the crust and pour the custard over top. Bake for 55 minutes or until nearly set - it can have a minor wiggle to the center - it will set.
Allow it to cool for at least 15 minutes.
I am not a pie person. Don’t like making them. Don’t like eating them.
BUT THIS PIE.
It is the thing of my (and Tom’s) dreams. It has such a perfect texture, and the balance between the tanginess of the rhubarb and sweet, creamy, custard is HEAVEN. Most people are a big fan of strawberry + rhubarb and I’m not opposed but I prefer that mixture in “bar” form. THIS PIE IS SO GOOD SO DON’T TRY ANY OTHER ONES OKAY BYE.
Here is an older version of this pie recipe, but my new version has surpassed it and is actually simpler to make.
Veggie Flatbread Pizza
Now I know I'm mostly the baking type, but today you are gonna be so #blessed to drool over this flatbread pizza that I made up. I got this...
Now I know I'm mostly the baking type, but today you are gonna be so #blessed to drool over this flatbread pizza that I made up. I got this idea after having dinner with a friend in the area and we split a veggie flatbread (which is very unlike me to get veggie anything) but our waiter totally sold us on it. He said it had bits of pumpkin and kale, and the flavor was really amazing... and even though he preferred meaty pizzas, this one had a special place in his heart. I guess we were feeling daring, so we agreed to give it a try. From then on, that flatbread branded a little spot in my heart too. So being a doting wife, I set out to recreate it for my husband one night before he got home from work.
There are seemingly many ingredients, but none of them cost much and you only need a little of each. I consider this flatbread to be healthy, but considering my meat-and-potatoes husband requests this, I feel like maybe I'm fooling myself. I'll let some health nut be the judge of its nutritious value.
Ingredients:
Store bought flatbread/naan - large
Fresh mozzarella - one ball, cubed
Olive oil
1/2 Sweet Potato - peeled, sliced in rounds, cooked, then cubed
1/2 Onion - chopped
Kale - several leaves, removed from stem, roughly chopped
Garlic - 1-2 cloves, chopped
Salt & Pepper to taste
Basil (dry or fresh)
OPTIONAL: 1/2 Avocado - small cubes
OPTIONAL: pistachios - handful, roughly chopped
Directions:
This looks really labor intensive, but I promise it's not.. just some chopping, but it goes fast because you only need a portion of each item. To save even more time, I use chopped garlic from a jar! This is seriously so flavorful and delicious. You could add or subtract anything you want. We've added sesame seeds in the past, which was good, and I sort of want to add bacon one of these times too (making it not-veggie haha). If you give this a try, let me know what you think!
Here are some glamour shots of the steps in order:
Preheat oven according to flatbread package instructions. Mine says 400.
Bring a small pot of water to a boil and let your sweet potato rounds cook. About 7-10 minutes.
While the potatoes are cooking, chop the onion, garlic, pistachios, and kale. Cube the mozzarella and avocado. When the potatoes are done (can easily be pierced through with a fork), strain the water and let them cool briefly. Then cube them. Set all aside.
On a cookie sheet (or whatever baking pan you have) place the flatbreads. Add the chopped garlic evenly over the top.
Add potatoes, onion, avocado, kale, and pistachios evenly across the flatbread.
Add mozzarella. The flatbread should look quite "full."
Drizzle a little olive oil, and sprinkle lightly with salt, pepper, and basil.
Bake according to package directions, about 15 minutes. Turn oven to broil for 1-5 minutes at the end.
Grab a glass of wine and enjoy!
The Best Mug Cookie
Did you guys know I have a sweet tooth? Because it's a pretty basic fact about me, so in case you didn't, now you do. Growing up, I spent a...
Did you guys know I have a sweet tooth? Because it's a pretty basic fact about me, so in case you didn't, now you do.
Growing up, I spent a lot of time baking with my mom. Breads, cakes, cookies, pies, etc. It wasn't just about making something yummy, it was about learning techniques, talking, laughing, cleaning up, testing out changes to a recipe, or figuring out different substitutes for missing ingredients. There is an art to baking that I whole-heartedly enjoy and it's often therapeutic for me to spend an afternoon baking.
And yet, sometimes, I just want the taste of something baked without actually having to make an entire batch of something.
That's where this little fella comes in.
This recipe has been tried and tested over and over until I figured out just the right ingredients, measurements, and microwaving time to get it juuuust right. If it looks familiar to other ones you've seen, I wouldn't be all that surprised, because there's only so many ingredients you can really use in a microwavable cookie without it turning out "too this" or "too that"... but I assure you, this one is purely from my own experience.
The thing I love about this cookie, is the coconut oil. Not only do you get that slight hint of coconut flavor, but it gives it the perfect amount of moisture so that the cookie doesn't get dry and cakey (a common problem among mug cookies). Also, by cooking it for less than a minute, it hits the just baked mark and is slightly doughy.
Below, you'll see what you need and how much, but as for the chocolate chips, feel free to sub them out for peanut butter, chopped nuts, or a mixture of whatever you like. Just remember to add no more than a total of a small handful of whatever you add, and you'll be golden.
Ingredients
1 T melted coconut oil
1 T sugar
1 T brown sugar
Pinch of salt
1 egg yolk
2-3 drops vanilla
3.5 T flour
Small handful chocolate chips
Directions
If you're planning on making more than one, be sure you treat them separately. Don't double this for one mug, or microwave two mugs at one time or they won't turn out right. I say all of this from experience... trust me!
These go great with ice cream or milk... but be wary... they can become terribly habitual to make!
Have you tried it? What do you think?
Custard Rhubarb Pie
I am not really a "pie person." I would prefer cookies, or brownies, or ice cream. Pie is sort of "meh" to me.
But this pie. OH THIS PIE. I can...
I am not really a "pie person." I would prefer cookies, or brownies, or ice cream. Pie is sort of "meh" to me.
But this pie.
OH THIS PIE.
I can (and may have) eaten an entire one of these pies all by myself. Tom can explain to you what this pie tastes like with words like "decadent, tangy, sweet, but not too sweet, buttery.."
This is his favorite pie. EVER. I get some serious wife points for that. He tells everyone about this pie, and if Tom is bragging about something, it's going to be worth bragging about. He's usually hard to impress. BUT THIS PIE.
Honestly, just try it.
Crust
2.5 C flour
2 sticks COLD butter
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
6-8 tablespoons ice water
Pie Filling
4 C rhubarb, diced
3 eggs
2 C sugar
1/4 C flour
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon butter (melted)
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Pear + Gorgonzola Flatbread
Do you ever go out to eat and have something so amazing, yet so simple that you feel you MUST recreate it at home? This happens to us every couple of months, and I think I have more fun trying to recreate the meal, I forget to notice whether or not it actually ends up tasting the same. However, this particular flatbread is one I'm quite sure is a near replica.
We first had this mixture of flatbread flavors at our favorite area wine bar, and for the weeks following, it kept cropping back up in my mind, reminding me of how good it was. Finally, I decided to just give it a go. The last time I tried to recreate a flatbread it turned out amazing... might as well try it again! Let me dive right in with ingredients and directions and, of course, photos.
Ingredients
Flatbread (I always buy this for my flatbreads - you can find it at almost any grocery store)
Crumbled gorgonzola cheese
Shredded parmesan
A ripe pear
Fresh basil (about 6 leaves)
Caramelized onion (about 2/3 of a large onion)
Honey
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400F
Start by caramelizing the onion. Slice it thin. Preheat a pan with some butter and olive oil on a high heat. Add the onions and keep the heat high-to-medium high. Stir occasionally but let the onions get browned. It's okay if they look a little burned, but stir to evenly brown them. Remove from heat when a majority have been browned and set aside.
Chop the basil. Slice the pear thinly, but be sure and remove the core parts.
Place the flatbread on a baking sheet. Layer from bottom to top: onions, basil, parmesan, gorgonzola, pear.
Drizzle with honey and bake for 15 minutes.
Oh man, you guys. This is just soooo flavorful and delicious. It's like all the foods you'd gather separately for a wine tasting but instead baked into perfect harmony. Though, you should probably grab a nice white wine and settle in with this because it would be perfection. I promise you'll start to crave this tasty little beast. Feel free to add some walnuts or pistachios for crunch, or whatever else would pair well with it and then TELL ME ABOUT IT because foodies gotta stick together, amiright?
Chicken Pot Pie
Like I told you in my last food post, I'm kind of a recipe hoarder. I think recipes are meant to be shared, but when it comes down to it, I suddenly feel a pang of selfishness overcome me. Also, my mom guilts me for sharing "family recipes" when really, I think she just pulled them from other cookbooks and forgot which ones, so she decided to call them her own.
That's all beside the point, because today I am sharing with you my very favorite recipe when you need something homestyle and cozy to the core. Chicken pot pie from scratch.
With a perfect, flaky crust, rich cream sauce, and tender chicken and veggies, it'll be the best home cooked meal you'll have this winter. Let me just dive right in...
First, start with the crust. A good crust recipe will serve you well for years and years. The one I use is good for sweet pies, savory pies, mini pies stuffed with whatever you want, etc... I highly recommend it. via Simply Recipes
Crust Ingredients
2 1/2 C flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
2 sticks unsalted butter - VERY cold and cubed
6-8 T ice cold water
Directions
Mix the dry ingredients together in a stand mixer or food processor. Slowly add the cold butter (sometimes I cube my butter and then toss it in the freezer for 10 minutes or so) cubes and watch them become pea-sized and give the mixture a rough, uneven texture. Do not over-mix. You want those chunks of butter as they'll add nice flaky layers when baked. Then, add the ice water, tablespoon at a time just until incorporated. The dough should look dry and crumbly, but hold together if grabbed into a fist.
Dump mixture onto a clean surface and knead gently by hand until it holds its shape - do not knead too much! Separate the dough into two equal sized mounds and shape them into discs. Wrap each in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 48 hours.
Remove 10-15 minutes before you'll be using it to let it soften enough to make rolling easier.
Once you're ready to get your pot pie going, roll one of your discs into a large rectangular shape so it covers at least the bottom of a 9x13 pan, but try to get it large enough to cover the sides of a 9x13 if you can. Preheat your oven to 325. Line the 9x13 with the crust, pressing it down, along the edges, and into the corners of the pan. Pop the crust-lined pan into the oven for about 15 minutes - just until it's no longer "raw." While it's baking, roll your other disc out into a 9x13 rectangle. This piece will cover the pot pie. Set aside. Bump your oven up to 375 once you remove your pre-baked crust. (The reason you pre-bake the bottom crust is so it doesn't stay raw once you put the wet filling in)
Sauce Ingredients
1/4 C butter
1/4 C flour
2 C chicken broth
1/2 C whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 C grated parmesan
Sauce directions
In a medium pot, melt butter. Blend in flour, then slowly incorporate chicken broth, slowly stirring until thick. Add whipping cream and salt and pepper to taste. Should be creamy and not too runny in texture. Add parmesan and cook a couple minutes longer, stirring. Set aside.
Pot Pie Ingredients
3 C cooked chicken (about 2 breasts)
1 12-14oz package of frozen veggies (in a steamer bag if you'd like to save time)
1 10-12 oz bag of frozen broccoli florets (in a steamer bag if you'd like to save time)
1-2 russet potatoes, peeled and diced
Pot Pie Directions
Have your chicken ready to go. When I cook mine a day or two before, I only season it with salt and pepper and maybe a hint of garlic powder. Once it's been cooked, just dice it and set it aside.
Steam all your veggies, except your potato(es) which just need to be peeled and diced. They can be thrown in to the pot pie raw.
In the pot with your sauce, add the chicken, veggies, and potato(es). Mix until well combined. Pour the mixture into your pre-baked crust and spread evenly. Cover the 9x13 with top crust and trim the edges. Bake at 375 until the the crust is golden, about 30 minutes (give or take). Enjoy!
