One-Pot Cheeseburger Pasta

Now that fall is here, bring on casserole season.  These comforting dishes are perfect for fall.  What I loved about this one, is that it provides a taste of summer in the form of a casserole dish. 

Better yet, it’s made in one pot.  Good tasting dinner, comfort food in October and one pot?!  That’s a winner to me. 

One-Pot Cheeseburger Pasta – Adapted from Number 2 Pencil

Ingredients

• 1 C (about 1/2 lb) ground beef and turkey mixture
• 2 T minced onion
• 1 (15 oz can) tomato sauce
• 8 roma tomatoes, diced
• 1 C chicken broth
• 1 C water
• 1/8 C ketchup
• 1 T spicy brown mustard
• 7-8 oz. whole wheat rotini pasta
• 1 C shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese
• Bacon and parsley for garnish
• salt & pepper

Directions

Brown the ground beef and turkey mixture in a large stockpot, seasoning well with salt and pepper.  Drain excess grease. 

To the same pot, add 2 T minced onion, 1 can of tomato sauce, 1 C chicken broth and 1 C water.  Add in about 7 oz. whole wheat pasta and bring the pot to a boil. 

Stir in roughly 1 C diced Roma tomatoes, 1/8 C ketchup and 1 T spicy brown mustard.

Reduce the pasta dish to a simmer, stirring frequently for about 10-15 minutes until the pasta is done.  Most all of the liquid should be absorbed at this point, but if you notice the liquid is lacking, add additional water during the cooking process. 

Remove the pasta dish from the heat. 

Stir in 1/2 C extra sharp cheddar cheese.

Garnish with remaining cheese, parsley and, if interested, crumbled bacon.

Enjoy!

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Menu Plan–Sept. 29

What a terrific week we had last week.  The weather was outstanding for fall, and we enjoyed our first apple recipes of the season.  Topping the charts were the apple cinnamon rolls (we topped these with cream cheese frosting and apple maple saute)!

Coming in second was Spiced Country Applesauce made with Macintosh apples.  Yum-o.  This applesauce makes a weekly occurrence around here during fall.   

In third place – these easy apple danishes.  Amazing. 

For our non apple recipe of the week, that goes to the spaghetti braid.  If you ask me, it’s the best way to serve leftover spaghetti.  In fact, I’ve been known to make spaghetti, just so we could have the spaghetti braid. 

Our menu this week is shaping up to look like this:

Sunday
Leftover Whole Wheat Buttermilk Waffles with Maple Apple Sauté
Grilling – Burgers, Pickles, Grilled Potato Packets

To do: Nothing

Monday
Oatmeal with Maple Apple Sauté
Cheesy Chicken & Ranch Casserole

To do: Thaw turkey

Tuesday
Pumpkin Spice Granola with Craisins
BBQ Turkey Meatloaf, Crockpot Garlic Mashed Potatoes {new}

To do: Nothing

Wednesday
Leftover Cinnamon Raisin Bagels {freezer}
Leftovers

To do: Thaw ham for soup, make bread dough, dice extra ham for Friday

Thursday
Pumpkin Spice Granola with Craisins
Wild Rice Soup, Artisan Bread

To do: Nothing

Friday
Pumpkin Spice Granola with Craisins
Ham and Broccoli Pockets, carrots

To do: Prep for my sister’s birthday celebration

Saturday
TBD – perhaps Overnight Oatmeal Waffles, Pumpkin Spice Bagels, Maple Oat Scones, Apple Cider Donut Holes
My Sister’s Birthday Dinner – TBD

Desserts {TBD}
Apple Cinnamon Rice Krispie & Oat Bars {new}
Apple Dessert Braid {new}
Apple Cinnamon Spice Ice Cream
Apple Cake
Apple Pie with Crumble Topping

Find more great menus at OrgJunkie’s Menu Plan Monday!

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Friday Favorite Finds #177

Happy Friday!Thanks for joining us this Friday.  This is our chance to highlight the amazing creativity of bloggers and highlight some of the recipes we added to our Pinterest boards this week. 

{all photos are from original recipes; please pin the source!}

Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies – from Simply Scratch

Waffle Style Hash Brown Sandwich – From Mommy Hates Cooking

Apple Oatmeal Cookies – From Jam Hands

If you were featured, grab the button below!

What did you find this week?

Please link up to a post containing your list of recipes to try -- do not link up individual recipes, or recipes that you’ve already made, your links will be deleted.   Be sure to leave a link back here to Finding Joy in My Kitchen.

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Pasta with Kale & Roasted Tomatoes

This is a simple weeknight dinner filled with veggies and delicious flavor. 

It’s ready in less than 30 minutes to boot!

We really enjoyed the combination of the roasted tomatoes with the peas, kale and pasta. I think you will too!

Pasta with Kale & Roasted Tomatoes – Adapted from Real Simple

Ingredients

• 2 C spiral pasta, uncooked 
• 1 C frozen peas
• 2.5 C frozen chopped kale
• 1 medium chicken breast, cooked and diced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• salt & pepper, to taste
• 1/2 C chicken broth
• 1/2 C half and half
• 1/4 C reserved pasta water
• 1/3 C Parmesan cheese
• 10-20 cherry or grape tomatoes, halved & roasted

Directions

Begin by cooking pasta according to directions; add peas in the last 3 minutes of boiling.  Drain (reserving up to 1/2 C pasta water) and set aside.

Meanwhile, sauté 1 minced garlic clove, with 1 medium cooked and diced chicken breast in a large skillet for 2-3 minutes. 

Add in 2.5 C chopped kale and sauté until kale is wilted, about 2-3 minutes. 

Add in 1/2 C broth along with 1/2 C half and half and reduce heat to a simmer, simmer for 2-3 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper. 

Remove from the heat and stir in pasta, peas, roasted tomatoes.

Then add Parmesan cheese. 

If the dish seems a little dry, add up to 1/4 C reserved pasta water.

Serve warm.

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Ingredient Spotlight: Whole Wheat Flour

This week’s Ingredient Spotlight is on one of my favorite ingredients – whole wheat flour.  I love the rich and semi-nutty flavor of red whole wheat, and I love the versatility and soft taste of the white wheat variety. 

Have you tried white whole wheat flour?

What I love about it is that it has a texture that closely matches all purpose flour, especially if you pick a finely ground flour, like King Arthur.  In fact, about 5 years ago was the last time we bought a 5lb sack of all purpose flour.  We use white whole wheat in everything. 

Here are some of our favorite recipes showcasing whole wheat flour:

1) Tortillas

2) Sandwich Bread

3) Whole Wheat Buttermilk Waffles

4) Homemade Crackers

5) Cookies – like this thick and chewy sugar cookies!

6) Bread Sticks – like these Copy-Cat Olive Garden Breadsticks

What recipes of yours use whole wheat (either red or white) flour? 

An InLinkz Link-up

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Cheesecake Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

I brought these cheesecake stuffed cookie bars to our neighbor’s this year for our annual spaghetti feed. 

They were a huge hit and we really enjoyed them. 

The original recipe called for a 9x9 baking dish, but having made them that way, I’d recommend an 11x7 baking dish.  The bars were quite thick, so I think baking them in the 11x7 pan will help. 

I used all whole wheat flour in this recipe, and it was delicious. 

Hope you enjoy them!

Cheesecake Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars – Adapted from Mel’s Kitchen Café

Ingredients

• 6 T butter, melted and cooled
• 1/2 C brown sugar
• 1/8 C sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 C white whole wheat flour
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 3/4 C dark chocolate chips
• 6 oz. cream cheese, Neufchatel preferred
• 1/4 C powdered sugar
• 1 egg white
• splash of vanilla

Directions

Melt and cool 6 T butter.  Mix in 1/2 C brown sugar and 1/8 C sugar.  Then, mix in 1 egg and 1 tsp. vanilla. 

Sift together 1 C white whole wheat flour, 1/4 tsp. baking soda and 1/8 tsp. salt.  Add to the sugar mixture, mixing until just combined. 

Stir in chocolate chips. 

Arrange just over half of the cookie dough in the bottom of an 11x7 cake pan, lightly greased and/or lined with tinfoil.  Note: I used a 9x9 baking dish, and you can also do that but your bars will be very thick and you won’t get as much cheesecake in each bite.

Then, whip the 6oz. of cream cheese with 1/4 C powdered sugar.  Whip in the egg and a splash of vanilla and beat for 3 minutes until fluffy. 

Pour the cream cheese mixture over the top of the cookie crust. 

By the tablespoon, flatten the dough into a small circle.  Arrange these small dough circles over the top of your filling layer. 

Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes.  Check that the edges are lightly browned.  Cool on a cooling rack.  When completely cooled, transfer the pan, covered, in the refrigerator. 

Cut into bars. 

Serve & enjoy. 

Store remaining bars in the refrigerator. 

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Menu Plan–Sept. 22

September is cruising by, and fall colors are beginning to emerge as chlorophyll drains from the leaves.  My favorite time of year. 

This also means that apples are here, and it’s coming to be soup and casserole season.  Yet more reasons why I love fall. 

Our menu this week looks like:

Sunday
Leftover Apple Cinnamon Rolls
Leftover Ratatouille with Brown Rice
Apple Crisp with Vanilla Ice Cream

To do: Nothing

Monday
Granola & Blueberries
Chicken & Spinach Quiche

To do: Make overnight baked oatmeal, thaw brats, chop extra veggies

Tuesday
Apple Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal
Grilling – Wild Rice Brats, Grilled Veggies, Pickles

To do: Prep veggies for spaghetti sauce

Wednesday
Leftover Apple Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal
Crockpot Garden Spaghetti, Whole Wheat Noodles, Green Beans

To do: Nothing.

Thursday
Granola & Blueberries
Spaghetti Braid, Steamed Broccoli
Dessert - Zucchini Bread {freezer} with Cream Cheese Frosting

To do: Thaw zucchini bread

Friday
Granola & Blueberries
Stir Fry with Honey Mustard Sauce & Brown Rice

To do: Make Maple Apple Sauté for dessert, with extra for breakfast

Saturday
Apple Danish
TBD

Find more great menus at OrgJunkie’s Menu Plan Monday!

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