one pot meals Archives - Cozy Country Living

One Pot Italian Sausage, Pepper & Onion Pasta

Shannon — Tue, 28 Jul 2015 12:00:46 +0000

This week is definitely going to be a hot & humid one here. I love simple meals that don’t require a lot of work or cooking time on days like these too. Preparing meals in the slow cooker or on the grill sure do make dinner time a lot easier in the summer. One of my favorite things to grill is Italian Sausage. I like to serve it with peppers from my garden and onions for a tasty and quick meal. Even when I’m not grilling though, I like to make dinner with those same delicious flavors like in this simple One Pot Italian Sausage, Pepper & Onion Pasta!

One Pot meals are great! You can’t beat the convenience of cooking, serving and only having to wash just that one pot. Even on a hot summer day, I don’t really mind these types of meals because it’s only one burner on and I’m in the air conditioning. Since I usually have some type of Italian Sausage on hand along with onions, all I need to do is head out the the garden for some peppers. (These however were from the store, because my peppers have a little more growing to do!) When it’s harvest time, I love shopping for ingredients in my garden!

If you’ve got older children to help you in they kitchen, they might even enjoy helping you chop up your colorful peppers and onions to get dinner going. After browning your sausage (I use turkey sausage because it’s lean) and sauteing your onions and peppers in a little extra virgin olive oil, you are ready to add your freshly chopped garlic, crushed tomatoes, water, and seasonings.

You can go sit down and watch the local news for a bit while that simmers for 20 minutes and your house will smell delicious!

Add in your uncooked pasta, recover and simmer for another 25 minutes and that’s it! Add a few handfuls of freshly grated Mozzarella cheese, give it a stir and dinner is ready! How easy is that?!

I like to serve this saucy pasta meal warm with a fresh salad and garlic bread.

This meal serves 6 generously and is the perfect recipe to put on your menu for the busy back to school season that’s ahead. Are you ready for that time of year again? I’m not!

I hope you’ll like this meal as much as we do! Enjoy!

One Pot Italian Sausage, Pepper & Onion Pasta

Ingredients

1 - 1 1/4 lbs. Italian Turkey Sausage (you can use regular too, just drain most of the fat after browning)
1 large green pepper, sliced then halved
1 large red pepper sliced then halved
1 large yellow pepper sliced then halved
1 large onion, sliced then halved
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 (28 oz.) cans crushed tomatoes
2 3/4 cups water
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 bay leaf
1 lb. uncooked farfalle or penne pasta
2 cups Mozzarella cheese, shredded

Instructions

In a large pot, brown the sausage and saute the peppers and onions with a little extra virgin olive oil on medium-high heat.
After the veggies have softened, lower the heat to low-medium and add the garlic, crushed tomatoes, water, salt, pepper, bay leaf and combine.
Place a lid on the pot and cook on medium - low for 20 minutes.
Add the uncooked pasta, stir and replace the lid.
Simmer on low heat for 25 minutes.
Stir half way through to make sure that pasta is not sticking to the bottom of the pan.
Turn off the heat, remove the bay leaf, add your Mozzarella cheese, stir and let cool with the lid off a bit before serving, but serve immediately so pasta doesn't get mushy.
Serves 6.

https://www.cozycountryliving.com/one-pot-italian-sausage-pepper-onion-pasta/

*Linking up at Miz Helen’s Country Cottage

The post One Pot Italian Sausage, Pepper & Onion Pasta appeared first on Cozy Country Living.

One Pot Taco Pasta

Shannon — Sun, 25 Jan 2015 13:00:07 +0000

After being sick in bed for most of the week, I finally am feeling a little bit better. I haven’t had Strep Throat since I was a child and it has been no fun! However, things in my household must go on. There’s laundry to do, kiddos to feed and luckily my husband was able to help me out with those things the past few days. This weekend, he’s focused on installing our new kitchen floor, so it’s back to the routine for me. Since I am not quite feeling 100% yet, quick and easy meals are working out great in our house. This One Pot Taco Pasta is an easy, filling and yummy meal that you can make for your family on a busy evening or just when you don’t feel like spending a lot of time in the kitchen.

I love any foods that have a Mexican type taste. Salsa Macaroni & Cheese and Loaded Taco Bakes are some of our family’s favorite dinners, but I was looking for something a little easier (and with less dishes) to make this weekend. If you’ve got a stock pot or dutch oven, you can easily make this tasty meal for your hungry family without a lot of fuss and from simple items you may already have on hand. The best part- there is no chopping involved with this recipe!

I like to use Organic Ground Beef and this yummy Organic Salsa from Aldi in this recipe. I have noticed recently that Aldi is carrying a nice line of organic products, so if you are interested you should give them a try! You of course are welcome to use regular too.

Flavorful taco seasoned ground beef is simmered in a chunky salsa tomato sauce with black beans while cooking tender elbow macaroni for a One Pot Meal that’s sure to make it’s way onto your menu at least once a month! We love to top this pasta with some Sharp Cheddar or Mexican Blend Cheese and a dollop of sour cream.

Watching your calories? This pasta also goes well with a fresh, crunchy salad. When you are cooking for a large family I know it’s hard to make separate meals and to deprive yourself of the food you are making for the majority of your family. I like to just serve myself a small portion of this pasta in a small bowl and then eat a large salad with it. This Taco Pasta is just so darn tasty, so I like to enjoy what my family is eating, but without the guilt. Portion Control!

Whether you’re searching for last minute dinner ideas or just something new to try for your family, give this One Pot Taco Pasta a try! I think you and your family will really enjoy it!

One Pot Taco Pasta

Ingredients

1 lb. organic ground beef (85% or 90% lean)
1/4 cup homemade taco seasoning or 2 pkg. taco seasoning
2 (28 oz.) cans crushed tomatoes
1 (16 oz.) jar organic thick and chunky salsa - I use Medium
2 1/2 cups water
1 (15 oz.) can black beans drained and rinsed well
1 lb. elbow macaroni, uncooked

Instructions

In a stock pot or dutch oven, season your beef with the taco seasoning and brown it until no pink remains.
Add the crushed tomatoes, salsa and water.
Stir well and then add the rinsed black beans.
Cover and simmer the sauce over medium-low heat for 20 minutes.
After the 20 minutes, turn the heat to low, and add the uncooked pasta.
Stir it well, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
After the 30 minutes. Turnoff the heat and leave uncovered to cool a bit.
Serve warm with Sharp Cheddar or Mexican Blend cheeses and a dollop of sour cream.
This meal is nice served with a side salad and bread.
Serves 8.

https://www.cozycountryliving.com/one-pot-taco-pasta/

Supplies Needed:

Dutch Oven

Stock Pot

Can Opener

You May Also Enjoy:

*Linking up at The Lou Lou Girls, Living Well Spending Less, Buns In My Oven

The post One Pot Taco Pasta appeared first on Cozy Country Living.

Pork Chop & Apple Wild Rice Casserole

Shannon — Wed, 01 Oct 2014 12:00:54 +0000

Welcome to October! Wow, September went by really fast, but I am ready for Fall to be in full swing. I am a firm believer that the crisp Fall air calls for warm and comforting meals to be served at the dinner table. There’s just something about this season that makes me want to get cozy every chance I get. From clothing to food, I am definitely in an Autumn mood! This past weekend my family and I visited our local Apple Farm and picked fresh apples. Using your freshly picked apples in tasty recipes like this Creamy One Pot Pork & Apple Wild RiceCasserole makes your meal extra special.

One Pan #Pork Chop & Apple Wild Rice #Casserole for #dinner !
Click To Tweet

This delicious meal takes only a few minutes to prepare, but will have your family thinking you spent all day on it! For this one pot meal, I always get out my wonderful Dutch Oven! This cast iron pan locks in heat and always cooks everything to perfection, while never drying it out. It’s probably one of the best investments that I have made in my kitchen and we use it all of the time! It’s the secret to making a simple, flavorful meal taste like it’s been simmering away all day on your stove!

Thick, Bone In Center Cut Pork Chops are added to sauteed onion, garlic and freshly chopped apple and then baked in a brown and wild rice blend for a wonderful casserole that your family will love. The moist pork falls right off the bone and the rice is creamy with a slight sweetness from those fresh apples!

It’s hard to get dinner on the table sometimes, trust me I know. The last time I made this dish my children were running around outside and I had a billion things to catch up on around my house. I honestly didn’t really feel up to making a dinner, but I told myself that in just a few minutes I could continue on with my other chores if I just got this in the oven. After everything was combined, I put the casserole in the oven to bake for an hour and I caught up with my chores while not having to think about dinner at all. Well, I did think about it because it smelled so good!

I finished up my chores and when dinner was ready, I was able to sit at the table, relax and eat just like the rest of my family. If you are looking for a great meal that you can make even on a busy school night, give this tasty recipe a try! I think you’ll really like it!

Pork Chop & Apple Wild Rice Casserole

Ingredients

4 large bone in center cut pork chops
2-3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 large onion, chopped
2 large cloves of garlic, minced
2 large baking apples chopped into small pieces (about 2 cups)
2 cups Bob's Red Mill Brown & Wild Rice, uncooked (Do Not use instant rice)
4 cups chicken stock
1 cup apple cider (if you don't have any you can substitute with more chicken stock)
sea salt
freshly cracked black pepper
1/4 cup dried parsley
2 Bay leaves
2 Tbsp. butter

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
In your Dutch Oven, heat the olive oil on medium low heat and saute the onion, apples and garlic, just until the onions are translucent.
Add the pork chops and season well with sea salt and black pepper.
Add the chicken stock, apple cider, wild rice,bay leaves and 2 Tbsp. butter and give it a good stir.
Cover the pot and let it come to a simmer.
Remove from the heat, give it another stir, recover and place in the oven.
Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour or when rice is cooked.
Remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes before serving.
Serve with fresh steamed vegetables or a salad.
Enjoy!
Serves 4-6.
*If you don't have a Dutch Oven, you can saute the onion, garlic and apples in a pan and then transfer them to a large casserole dish with a glass lid where you can add the pork and the rest of the ingredients.

https://www.cozycountryliving.com/pork-chop-apple-wild-rice-casserole/

Check Out These Other Simple Comforting Dinners:

Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means that if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I only recommend products or services that I personally use and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

*Linking up at Buns In My Oven, Living Well Spending Less, Best Blog Recipes, Foodie Friends Friday, Diana Rambles, Skip To My Lou, Feeding Big, Savvy Southern Style

The post Pork Chop & Apple Wild Rice Casserole appeared first on Cozy Country Living.

One Pot Goulash

Shannon — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 19:30:15 +0000

I love comfort food that doesn’t take all day to make. This Goulash is easy to make and serves a large, hungry family. Because this freezes very well, if you have a smaller family, you can even get two meals out of this. Just store your left overs in a freezer friendly container and you’ll have a meal waiting for you on a busy day. My family loves this comforting meal and it’s great if you have company on the weekends also. On a chilly evening, a warm bowl of Goulash may just hit the spot. This meal is best served with a side salad and a fresh loaf of crusty bread.

One Pot Goulash

Ingredients

2 - 2 1/2 lbs. ground beef
1 large onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 (28 oz.) cans crushed tomatoes
3 bay leaves
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 1/2 cups elbow macaroni, uncooked
3 cups water
1/4 cup brown sugar

Instructions

In a large pot, brown ground beef on medium-high heat.
Drain the grease and add the onions and the garlic and saute for 5 minutes, while stirring.
Lower the heat to low-medium and add the crushed tomatoes, water, brown sugar, salt, pepper, and bay leaves and combine.
Place a lid on the pot and cook on medium - low for 15 minutes.
Add the uncooked macaroni, stir and replace the lid.
Simmer on low heat for 25-30 minutes.
Stir half way through to make sure that pasta is not sticking to the bottom of the pan.
Turn off the heat, take off the pot lid (to avoid mushy pasta) remove the bay leaves and let cool a bit before serving.
Serves 6.
*To freeze, prepare as usual, let cool completely and store in a freezer friendly covered casserole dish. When ready to use, defrost overnight, cover lightly with foil and heat through in the oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or so.

https://www.cozycountryliving.com/one-pot-goulash/

The post One Pot Goulash appeared first on Cozy Country Living.

Paula Deen’s Old Time Beef Stew

Shannon — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 22:02:04 +0000

On a cold evening, nothing warms you up better than a nice hot bowl of stew. I have been making this wonderful stew recipe from Paula Deen for some time and it turns out perfect every time. There are never any leftovers of this at our house, so I have even doubled the recipe to make sure we have enough for lunch the next day. The beef in this stew is always tender and the overall flavor is wonderful. If you haven’t found a Beef Stew recipe that your family loves, give this one a try. I promise you won’t be disappointed.

Paula Deen’s Old Time Beef Stew

Ingredients

2 lb stew beef
2 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 cup water
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 clove garlic, peeled
2 bay leaves
1 medium onion, sliced
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
dash ground allspice or ground cloves
3 large carrots, sliced
4 red potatoes, quartered
3 ribs celery, chopped
2 Tbsp. cornstarch

Instructions

Brown meat in hot oil.
Add water, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, bay leaves, onion, salt, sugar, pepper, paprika, and allspice.
Cover and simmer 1 1/2 hours.
Remove bay leaves and garlic clove.
Add carrots, potatoes, and celery.
Cover and cook 30 to 40 minutes longer.
To thicken gravy, remove 2 cups hot liquid(if you are low on liquid you can add a little beef stock).
Using a separate bowl, combine 1/4 cup water and cornstarch until smooth.
Mix with hot liquid and return mixture to pot.
Stir and cook until bubbly.
Serves 4-6.

https://www.cozycountryliving.com/paula-deen-old-time-beef-stew/

*This recipe is from Paula Deen

The post Paula Deen’s Old Time Beef Stew appeared first on Cozy Country Living.