potato-omelette casserole.

Breakfast for breakfast. Breakfast for lunch. Breakfast for dinner. 

I don't really care when I eat it, I just love BREAKFAST!  I found a breakfast dish I could eat all day long. 

So if you love breakfast as much as I do, you have to try this all-star one course meal. 

This breakfast dish is loaded with good-for-you

 veggies and tasty breakfast meat. 

The first time I made it, I used bacon, bell peppers, fresh spinach, and onions- it was incredible. The second time, I made it with sausage, bell peppers, and onions and it was equally amazing.  Try out this dish- you won't be disappointed!

Potato-Omelette Casserole

Ingredients

• 36 (roughly) crispy crown tater-tots 
• 8 eggs
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 cup shredded cheese
Omelet Fillings (suggestions):
• Meat (sausage, bacon, ham)
• Veggies (onion, red and/or green peppers, spinach, mushrooms, etc.)

Instructions

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease an 8" or a 9" baking dish. 
2. Heat your tater tots in the microwave for a minute or two to thaw. Cover the bottom of baking dish with the tater tots.
3. Bake your tater-tots for 10 minutes. 
4. While baking tater tots, prepare other ingredients (i.e. cook meat, cut veggies).
5. After removing your tots from the oven, lower oven temperature to 350 degrees. Sprinkle your toppings over tater tots.
6. Whisk together 8 eggs and 1/4 cup milk with a fork or whisk. Pour your egg mixture on the toppings. Then, sprinkle cheese on top of the egg mixture.
7. Bake at 350 degrees for about 15-25 minutes, or until the egg is cooked through.
8. Slice into servings and devour!

Recipe Source: Finger Prickin Good - Thank you for this double delicious recipe!!

cajun chicken & sausage jambalaya.

This classic cajun dish is sure to spice up your taste buds. The andouille sausage combined with spicy cajun seasoning and crunchy green peppers make this dish something your mouth will definitely not want to miss.

Cajun Jambalaya

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast halves, cut in 1-inch cubes

1 pound andouille sausage, sliced 1/4-inch thick

1/2 cup to 1 cup onion

1 medium green bell pepper, chopped

1 can stewed tomatoes

2 tablespoons cajun seasoning

1/2 tsp. dried thyme

2 cups instant whole grain brown rice

1 cup low sodium, fat free chicken broth

3/4 cup water

1. Heat oil in large heavy skillet on medium-high heat.

 Add chicken and sausage; cook and stir 5 minutes. Remove from skillet.

2. Pour off excess oil. 

Add onion and bell pepper; cook and stir on medium heat until onion is softened. 

Stir in tomatoes, Cajun seasoning and thyme.

3. Return chicken and sausage to skillet.

4. Add rice,  broth, and water; bring to boil. 

5. Reduce heat to low; cover and cook 25 minutes or until rice is tender, stirring 

occasionally. 

[Inspired by http://www.mccormickgourmet.com/Recipes/Main-Dishes/Cajun-Jambalaya.aspx & http://www.johnsonville.com/recipe/andouille-sausage-jambalaya.html]

meat lovers pizza casserole.

Who says you can't have pizza AND pasta?!

This is definitely the best of both worlds :)

Here's what you need:

8-oz small pasta (I used shells)
20 slices pepperoni
1/2 pound smoked sausage
1 lb ground beef

1/2 pepper (I used some green and some red), chopped1 (14.5-oz) can diced tomatoes
1 (8-oz) can pizza sauce 
1 Tbsp + 1 tsp Italian seasoning (divided)
½ tsp fresh ground black pepper
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp garlic powder
8-oz mozzarella shredded cheese
5-oz fresh grated parmesan cheese

Here's what you do:

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. 

2. Bring a covered 8 quart pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add pasta. Cook according to package directions (approximately 7-10 minutes). Remove from heat when pasta is al dente. Drain.

3. Meanwhile, heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Brown ground beef with a teaspoon of Italian seasoning.

4. Heat precooked sausage and pepper in skillet. Slice and set aside.

5. In a blender combine diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, pepper, garlic and onion powders. Blend until smooth. (Blending is optional; I didn't blend them because I don't mind my tomatoes chunky but mostly because I was feeling lazy. I just mixed them with a spoon.)

6. Once pasta is drained, immediately add sauce, ¾ of both cheeses, ½ of the pepperoni, the sausage, and the ground beef to hot saucepan and stir with pasta until combined. 

7. Pour pasta mixture into a 9x13 dish and cover top of pasta with remaining pepperoni. Sprinkle remaining cheese over top and bake for 10 minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve and enjoy! 

[adapted from http://www.dashrecipes.com/recipes/contributors/the-simple-kitchen/meat-lovers-pizza-pasta-bake.html]

chicken fajitas.

                                 

homemade chicken fajitas. 

Take that Chili's! ;)

Here's what you'll need:
Juice from 1 lime
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 1/2 to 2 lbs of steak or chicken strips

Peppers, I used 1 green pepper and small red, orange, and yellow sweet peppers
Onion, I just used a few slices
Tortillas, I used whole wheat 
Sour cream, cheese, salsa, and guacamole, optional additions

Here's what you'll do:
1. Combine and mix all ingredients (lime juice, oil, garlic, chili powder) in a glass jar or bowl.
2. Pour mixture over meat and stir to coat well.
3. Cover dish and marinate meat for at least one hour (I marinated for about 2.5 hours) or up to 24 hours in the refrigerator.
4.  After marination, place meat in nonstick skillet. Cook chicken until cooked all the way through. 
5.  Add peppers and onions to cooked chicken. Let simmer for a few minutes.
6. You're done! Eat up & enjoy :)

All these webpages helped me formulate this yummy recipe:

http://thepeacefulmom.com/2011/07/07/make-your-own-fajita-seasoning-mix/
http://www.inspiredtaste.net/19896/easy-chicken-fajitas-recipe/
http://www.recipe.com/grilled-smoked-sausage-fajitas/