Getting Results for Dinner-- 3/2/20

News 6 gets results for your belly. – This week’s recipes come from MamaLovesFood.com.

MONDAY

Italian Sausage Soup

Ingredients

• 1 pound sweet ground Italian sausage
• 1 small yellow onion diced
• 2 sweet bell peppers mix of colors
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 can Italian-style diced tomatoes 14 ounces
• 1 jar spaghetti sauce 24 ounces
• 2 cups radiatore pasta
• 2 ½ cups chopped fresh spinach
• Optional:
• 2 cups diced mozzarella
• Grated parmesan to taste
• Fresh basil to taste

Instructions

STOVE TOP

• Brown sausage in a large soup pot over medium-high heat.
• Add onion and peppers. Saute 3 - 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add garlic and saute an additional 3 - 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Stir in broth, diced tomatoes, and spaghetti sauce. Bring to a light boil.
• Add pasta, lower heat, and simmer until just cooked (about 10 minutes, or according to package directions). Turn off heat and stir in spinach.
• Add about 1/4 C diced mozzarella into the bottom of serving bowl and spoon soup over it.
• Top with grated parmesan and fresh basil and enjoy!

INSTANT POT

• Brown sausage on saute mode.
• Add onion and peppers. Saute 3 - 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add garlic and saute an additional 3 - 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Stir in broth, diced tomatoes, and spaghetti sauce. Set to manual 5 minutes then hit cancel and carefully quick release.
• Stir in pasta, return cover to pot and set to sealing. Allow pasta to cook with residual heat, about 10 - 15 minutes or until cooked to your liking . Turn off heat and stir in spinach.
• While pasta is cooking, add about 1/4 C diced mozzarella into the bottom of serving bowl.
• Spoon finished soup over mozzarella, then top with grated parmesan and fresh basil and enjoy!

TUESDAY

BBQ Chicken Pizza

Ingredients

• Pizza crust ready for toppings (here's how I make mine!)
• Barbecue sauce
• Cheddar cheese shredded
• Cooked chicken shredded (here's how to always have cooked chicken on hand!)
• Red onion diced (why oh WHY isn't it called purple onion???)
• Bacon cooked and chopped (here's how I make bacon ahead!)
• optional: green onion Parmesan cheese (the cheap stuff in the spaghetti aisle), and garlic salt

Instructions

• Add a thin layer of barbecue sauce to your crust, followed by chicken, bacon, and onion.
• Top everything off with a pretty swirl of barbecue sauce and (if you want to bring your crust to the next level) dust around the edges with garlic salt and Parmesan cheese (OMG YES, DO THIS).
• Bake according to your dough directions (usually 450F for about 15 minutes).
• Sprinkle with fresh green onion and ENJOY!

WEDNESDAY

Italian Beef

Ingredients

• 32 oz beef broth
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp ground black pepper
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 2 tsp dried basil
• 2 tsp powdered onion
• 2 tsp dried parsley
• 2 ½ tsp garlic powder
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 .7 ounce package dry Italian-style salad dressing mix (such as Good Seasons brand)
• 8 lb bottom round roast cut into quarters

For serving

• Italian or French bread
• Provolone or mozzarella cheese
• Pepperoncinis

Instructions

• In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except meat and bay leaves. Whisk together and pour over meat into slow cooker.
• Pour seasoned broth mix over meat and add bay leaves. 

IN SLOW COOKER:

• Cook on low for 10 to 12 hours, or on high for 4 to 5 hours.

IN INSTANT POT:

• Cook on manual (high pressure) 90 minutes. Natural pressure release.

IN OVEN:

• 275 degrees in a covered dutch oven for 5 - 6 hours.
• Remove bay leaves, and shred meat with a fork.
• Serve on French Bread with provolone cheese. (And for a really authentic flavor, dip the  whole sandwich into the broth immediately prior to serving.) YUM.

THURSDAY

Italian Dressing Chicken

Ingredients

• 8 large chicken thighs bone in/skin on
• 1 bottle Italian dressing 16 ounces
• Chopped fresh parsley or green onion optional

Instructions

• Blend Italian dressing with a stick blender or in an upright blender until emulsified (when the oil is no longer separated and it all looks the same throughout).
• Place chicken thighs in single layer, skin side up, into a 9 x 11 roasting pan. It’s fine if they are packed in tightly, just make sure they are in a single layer and not stacked on top of one another.
• Cover with Italian dressing, lifting each chicken thigh to make sure sauce is on all sides.
• Bake on middle rack of oven at 350 degrees uncovered for 45 - 50 minutes, or until chicken reaches a safe internal temperature (165 F).
• If using a broiler safe dish, turn on broiler for 1 - 3 minutes to brown and crisp skin. (Watch carefully to avoid burning).
• Garnish with chopped parsley or green onion.

FRIDAY

French Toast Casserole

Ingredients

• 1 loaf of sturdy bread about 14 ounces
• 8 eggs
• 8 teaspoons vanilla
• 4 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 4 teaspoons brown sugar
• 3 cups milk

Topping:

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons flour

Instructions

• Tear or cut bread into bite sized pieces. Place in a 9×13″ casserole dish.
• In a large bowl whisk together eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, brown sugar, and milk.
• Pour batter over bread and mix well, making sure everything is wetted.
• In a small bowl, mix ingredients for topping. Sprinkle over casserole.
• Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 45 minutes, until baked through and browned on top.