Fiesta Skillet Casserole

Guess what!!! It SNOWED/ICED yesterday!!!!! Woohoo right? Well, it wasn't much to play in but it definitely shut the city down. They even closed all city and county roads! Gota love a winter storm in the South. Hey, it allowed my Hubs to come home early and the pups enjoyed it!

I usually frequent the grocery store a few times a week, but with the storm begin predicted, I went ahead and gathered our groceries for the week. I realized, I spent MUCH less money when I buy groceries for the week. I think I may keep this trend going. So what is the perfect meal for a snow storm night? How about a Fiesta Skillet Casserole? Think about everything you would want in a taco, and I have made it into a skillet casserole. It was delicious! So here is how I made our supper.

Fiesta Skillet Casserole

GF, DF

click here for printable recipe 

Ingredients:

1 cup white rice

2 2/3 cups water, divided

1 pound ground meat, I used lean ground beef

1 t oregano

1/2 t crushed red pepper

1/2 t garlic powder

1/2 t onion powder

1/2 t chili powder 

1 1/2 t cumin

1/2 t salt

1/4 t black pepper

2 T fresh cilantro

1 large tomato 

1 cup pure tomato sauce

2 cups GF corn chips, I used "Fritos"

about 1/2 cups DF, GF "cheddar" cheese 

Optional: approximately 1 1/2 cups shredded lettuce

DF, GF sour cream

GF salsa

What to do:

Preheat oven to 350°.

In a medium bowl, mix together oregano, crushed red pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper.

Lets start move on to the rice. Bring 2 cups water to boil. Add in rice and lower heat to low. Allow to cook until all the water is absorbed, 15-20 minutes. 

While the rice is cooking, add ground meat into oven proof skillet. Brown until no longer pink.

Add in seasoning mixture and 2/3 cup water and let simmer for 10 minutes.

Dice your tomato.

Add in tomato sauce and diced tomatoes and cook for an additional 5 minutes until it begins to darken and the tomatoes soften. 

Add corn chip in a mini food processor and process for about 30 seconds. If you don't have a food processor you can always put them in a plastic bag and crush them with your hands.

Roughly chop your cilantro. 

Once your meat is ready, remove from heat. Add a layer of rice directly on top of the meat tomato mixture.

Next, drain and rinse your black beans. Add a layer black beans on top of your rice layer.

Next goes your chopped cilantro and then your crushed corn chips.

Finally add on a layer of DF, GF cheese. I was a nice wife and used real mexican cheese on 1/2 for my Hubs. Yup BROWNIE POINTS!! :)

Bake for 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

Remove from the oven and add a layer of lettuce (optional but I love another added crunch)

Now its time to eat! The easiest way to serve is to cut a slice as you would a pie. It doesn't stay completely together but it made it to the plate.

I like to top mine with a little DF, GF sour cream and salsa.

Thanks Y'all!

-Wise Wife 

Smothered Onion Pasta with Turkey Cakes

I don't think it is a secret I love onions and pasta. So for today's post, I decided to combine those things for a delicious meal. A while ago I came across an Italian recipe for a smothered onion sauce and I decided to adapt a GF, DF version from that recipe. It starts out a little sweet as the onions cook, but adding in enough salt and dry white wine balances the flavors. I would eat this onion sauce on a cracker it is so good. It does't have that super strong onion taste that you get from a raw onion. My Hubs must have thought it was delicious because he didn't even have any left overs to give the pups a bite. No worries, I gave them a real dog treat since their begging was just so pitiful. Okay onto this delicious pasta.

Just to warn you, I go back and forth between your turkey cakes and onion sauce because you are simultaneously cooking :) You could always beg a friend to help you cook.  

Smothered Onion Pasta with Turkey Cakes

GF, DF

smothered onion printable recipe here

turkey cake printable recipe here

Onion Sauce Ingredients:

4 small while onions

2 T extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup dry white wine

salt and pepper to taste

1 T fresh parsley

1/2 box GF spaghetti 

Turkey Cake Ingredients:

1 pound ground lean turkey

1/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce

1 t garlic powder

1/2 t thyme

1/2 t salt

1/4 t fresh ground pepper 

1 T fresh parsley

a few dashes of cayenne

1 T butter substitute 

First things first. The onion sauce takes a little over an hour to cook, so lets start there. Thinly slice your onions. I used a mandolin slicer, but you can completely do it by hand just make them as thin as possible. Add them to a medium skillet and with your olive oil, a few grinds of fresh pepper, and salt.

Cover and cook over low heat for about 45 minutes or until the onions become super soft.

While your onions are cooking, get your turkey cakes ready. Chop your parsley.

Mix all of your turkey cake ingredients, except for the butter substitute, together in a medium bowl.

Stir to combine. 

With your hands, form the turkey into small patties and set aside.

Cook your pasta according to package directions.

Now back to your onion sauce. Remove the cover and increase heat to medium high. The onions should begin to brown.

Heat your butter substitute over medium heat in a separate skillet. Cook your Turkey cakes for 5-7 minutes or until no longer pink. Turn once.

Set aside on a paper towel lined plate.

Taste your onion sauce and add in additional salt or pepper if necessary. Add in your wine and turn heat up to high. Stirring frequently, cook for 5 minutes. 

Add your parsley in and stir. Your sauce is complete! 

Add your cooked pasta directly into the skillet with your onion sauce and mix completely, making sure the sauce is evenly distributed throughout the pasta. 

Serve your turkey cakes on top of your smothered onion pasta and top with fresh parsley. It is always an option to top with some delicious parmesan cheese if you are lucky and get to enjoy cheese.

Thanks Y'all!

- Wise WIfe