Cheesy Sausage Hash

I pinned this awhile back on Pinterest and was waiting around for it to get cold because it looked like a cold-weather dish to me. I got tired of waiting and made it for dinner this week. I ended up doubling it because I had originally thought about upping the meat a bit and I wasn't sure how many cups I could get out of one bag of SIMPLY POTATOES.  Turns out, I had enough of everything to make two recipes and then freeze half before baking. I liked the cubed potatoes I used, but next time I'm going to use the SHREDDED ones because I think it will be more of what I imagined. It was still good (Phoebe *loved* it) and I'm totally excited to have another pan ready to go in my freezer! 

Cheesy Sausage Hash
3 cups potatoes, peeled, boiled, and cut into cubes OR 3 cups Simply Potatoes (found in the refridgerator section at your local supermarket)
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
salt & pepper
8 oz. Velveeta cheese, diced
1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 lb. smoked sausage
a sprinkle of paprika

Cut sausage in half lengthwise and then cut into 1/2 inch half-circles. Cook in a skillet over medium heat, turning frequently, until slightly brown. Place your potatoes in a 2 quart baking dish. Sprinkle generously with kosher salt. (I was worried my potatoes would be under salted and an under salted potato is a travesty.) Add the meat and give a gentle toss. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all remaining ingredients (except sharp cheddar and paprika) in a saucepan over medium heat until warm, melted, and smooth, whisking constantly. You're basically making cheese gravy. :) Salt and pepper this, too, until you're worried it's a little too salty. (Seriously, I did this and my hash was perfect. I was worried it would be too salty, but it wasn't.) Pour cheese gravy over meat and potatoes. Sprinkle with sharp cheddar and paprika. Bake for 35-45 minutes. (Mine actually took close to an hour to absorb and thicken with all that cheesy goodness, but my oven cooks a little slow. Just keep watch and plan for extra time if you're oven is like mine.)

Adapted from FOOD.COM

Family Rating:
Brad: ****
Jordan: ****
Eli: ****
Phoebe: *****
Overall Family Rating: 17/20

Cowboy Calzones

Cowboy Calzones

1/2 lb. hot breakfast sausage
1 lb. ground beef
1/2 onion, diced
1 can Rotel
8 oz. whole milk Ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated mozzarella
1/2 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
1 egg, beaten
salt and pepper
1 pizza crust
olive oil for brushing

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Brown sausage, ground beef, and onion in large skillet. Drain excess grease. Pour in Rotel; stir to combine. Cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes. In a bowl, combine the ricotta, Monterey Jack, mozzarella, and egg. Add a little salt and pepper. Add the cooled meat mixture to the cheese mixture and stir gently to combine. Freeze half the mixture for a future meal in a labeled ziplock bag. Divide pizza dough into 8 equal portions and roll into circles about 6 inches in diameter. Place a few tablespoons of filling into each circle. Fold half of the circle over the other half, gently pressing to slightly spread and flatten the filling inside. Press a fork along the edge to seal closed, then transfer the calzone to a greased baking sheet. Repeat with remaining pizza circles. Brush with olive oil. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until golden brown. Serve with warmed marinara sauce.

Recipe from The Pioneer Woman Cookbook

Family Rating:
Brad: ***
Jordan: ***
Eli: ****
Phoebe: *****
Overall Family Rating: 15/20

Crockpot Cajun Spaghetti

Recipe from Carrie Nimz (aka "Sister")

Crockpot Cajun Spaghetti
2 lbs. ground beef
1 regular bag seasoning blend (this is in the frozen vegetable section at Wal-Mart and it has diced onions, celery, and bell peppers)
1-2 teaspoons Tony Chachere's Cajun seasoning
1/2 teaspoon white pepper (I substituted black)
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Tone's granulated garlic, to taste (I used a small palmful)
Tone's Italian seasoning (I used a small palmful)
Tone's Rosemary Garlic seasoning (about a tablespoon)
Bay leaves ( I use 3 large or 5 small)
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 jar Alfredo sauce
1-2 jar Tomato Basil spaghetti sauce (I used one, but next time I'll use two)

Cook beef until done in a large skillet and season with everything except sauces and bay leaves. Add to crockpot, along with sauces and bay leaves, and cook on low anywhere from 2 hours to all day. Serve over spaghetti noodles. Freeze leftovers in ziplock bags for future use.

Family Rating:
Brad: **
Jordan: **** (Extra star because it's an easy, crockpot meal and makes enough to freeze for two more meals.)
Eli: ****
Phoebe: *****
Overall Family Rating: 15/20

Notes: This was one of those recipes that didn't really come with measurements so I just guessed and documented what I did. It wasn't Brad's favorite because he said he like "regular" spaghetti better. Unfortunately, "regular" spaghetti is a little more involved and this was so dang easy.