Double-Post Tuesday

Besides being Taco Tuesday, it's also Double-Post Tuesday. Today's offerings include Stuffed Pepper Casserole and Chicken & Avocado Burritos. Enjoy!

BAKED SPAGHETTI

This is from Lidey Heuck in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this yummy recipe, Lidey wrote, "This comforting baked pasta feeds a crowd and is an easy way to upgrade everyday spaghetti with meat sauce. Once baked, the spaghetti casserole slices into neat squares, and the layer of ricotta and Parmesan filling give it the rich flavor of a lasagna. Feel free to play around with the recipe, swapping in Italian sausage or ground turkey for the ground beef and sautéing leftover vegetables and adding them to the sauce. If you’re planning in advance, you can assemble the casserole (through the end of Step 5) and store in the refrigerator, covered, until ready to bake."

Time: 1-1/2 hours, plus cooling; Yield: 8 servings

To view this yumminess online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1024351-baked-spaghetti. While you're at it, please sign up for The New York Times cooking enewsletter, if you haven't already.

Ingredients

Unsalted butter, for greasing the pan

Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and black pepper

1 pound spaghetti

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large yellow onion, chopped

2 tablespoons minced garlic (about 5 cloves)

2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme or rosemary, or 1 teaspoon dried

1-1/2 teaspoons dried oregano, plus more for serving

1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes, plus more to taste

1 pound ground beef (at least 85-percent lean)

1 (32- to 35-ounce) jar marinara sauce

1/2 cup fresh basil or parsley leaves, chopped, plus more for serving

1 cup/8 ounces ricotta cheese

3/4 cup grated Parmesan

1 large egg

2 cups/8 ounces shredded low-moisture mozzarella

Preparation

Step 1

Heat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with butter. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook according to the package directions until 1 minute shy of al dente.

Step 2

While the water comes to a boil, heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic, thyme, oregano, red-pepper flakes, 1-1/2 teaspoons salt and a few grinds of black pepper, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Step 3

Add the beef and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until browned, about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in the marinara sauce and basil. Drain the spaghetti, add it to the sauce and toss well.

Step 4

In a small bowl, combine the ricotta, 1/2 cup of the Parmesan, the egg and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Mix with a fork until smooth.

Step 5

Transfer half the pasta and sauce to the prepared baking dish and smooth it into an even layer. Dollop the ricotta mixture onto the pasta in large spoonfuls, then sprinkle 1 cup of the mozzarella on top. Add the rest of the pasta and sauce to the pan, again smoothing it into an even layer.

Step 6

Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup mozzarella and the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan on top, then bake, uncovered, until the mozzarella has melted, 5 to 10 minutes more.

Step 7

Cool for 5 minutes, then serve with more chopped basil, a pinch of dried oregano and more red-pepper flakes, if desired. Slice the baked spaghetti into large squares and serve hot or warm.

STUFFED PEPPER CASSEROLE

This is from TheDailyGourmet at AllRecipes, and begins, "Stuffed peppers are deconstructed in this casserole and given a subtle taco flair."

Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 1 hour 5 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes; Servings: 8

To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/stuffed-pepper-casserole-recipe-7372944.

Ingredients

nonstick cooking spray

1 pound ground beef

1/2 onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chiles (such as RO-TEL®)

1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce

3 tablespoons taco seasoning

1-1/2 cups uncooked long grain rice

1 cup beef broth

4 ounces Colby cheese, shredded

4 ounces pepper Jack cheese, shredded

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Spray a 13x9-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, and cook and stir ground beef, onion, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, and garlic until meat is browned and crumbly, 7 to 10 minutes. Drain excess fat; season with salt and pepper. Stir in RO-TEL tomatoes, tomato sauce, and taco seasoning.

Spread rice in the bottom of the baking dish; pour in beef broth. Fold pepper mixture into rice with a spatula, and spread evenly into the dish. Sprinkle with Colby cheese and pepper Jack cheese.

Bake in the preheated oven, covered with foil, until rice is tender, about 50 minutes. Remove foil and cook until cheese is golden, about 5 minutes more.

CHICKEN & AVOCADO BURRITOS

This is from Campbell's, and begins, "Chicken & Avocado Burritos stuffed with chicken, avocado, cheese and sour cream, cooked until browned and crisp on the outside? Yes, please! The best part is that with this recipe, you don't have to prep and cook the chicken- canned chicken is the perfect time saver! Learn how to make these chicken burritos. It really couldn't be easier, and it's easy to customize, too! Want to use whole wheat tortillas? Go for it. Is shredded Cheddar cheese your favorite? Use that instead! This Chicken & Avocado Burritos recipe is foolproof, and ready to eat in less than 20 minutes!"

Prep Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 18 minutes; Serves: 4

To view this online, go to https://www.campbells.com/swanson/recipes/chicken-avocado-burritos/.

Ingredients

1 can (12.5 ounces) Swanson® Premium White Chunk Chicken Breast in Water, drained

1/3 cup Pace® Salsa Verde

2 tablespoons light sour cream or plain nonfat Greek yogurt

4 flour tortilla (10-inch), warmed

1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese or Cheddar cheese (about 4 ounces)

1 avocado, pitted, peeled and diced

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 lime, cut into quarters

Instructions

Stir the chicken, salsa verde and sour cream in a bowl.

Place the tortillas onto a work surface. Spoon the chicken mixture down the center of each tortilla. Top with avocado, cheese and cilantro. Fold in two sides of each tortilla and roll up to enclose the filling.

Heat the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook the burritos for 4 minutes. Turn the burritos over and cook for 4 minutes or until hot. Serve with the lime wedges and additional salsa verde, if desired.

SLOW-COOKER BEEF STROGANOFF

This yumminess is from Betty Crocker, and begins, "You may think you don’t know anything about the 19th century Russian aristocrat Pavel Alexandrovich Stroganov, but you’ve most likely have enjoyed his namesake dish. While there are conflicting stories about the dish’s origin story, many food historians favor the version in which Stroganov’s cook, André Dupont, named his special beef fricassee for his employer. Thousands of chafing dishes later, the dish is still popular all over the world. And it’s no wonder—who could resist the succulent meal made with tender strips of beef and onions cooked in butter, simmered in a rich and creamy sauce made with sour cream, cream cheese, and mushrooms.

"It may sound complicated, but in our modern take on the classic, our easy slow cooker beef stroganoff recipe needs just 15 minutes of prep and a long, slow turn in the slow cooker, and supper practically makes itself. You can walk in the door to the tantalizing aroma of this satisfying dish on any chilly weeknight; just make some hot cooked egg noodles or rice to serve it over, to hold every single drop of the amazing sauce. It’s also a terrific recipe to have up your sleeve for when friends or family come for dinner, and you want an easy recipe that will impress."

Prep Time: 15 minutes; Total Tme: 5 hours 15 minutes; Servings: 8

To view this online, click here. Just before the recipe itself, there's a bit of info about the recipe's origin, as well as hints about the recipe, and a link to another stroganoff recipe. Enjoy!

Ingredients

1/4 cup butter

2 lb boneless beef sirloin steak, cut into 3x1/2x1/4-inch strips

1 cup chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 can (10.5 oz) condensed golden mushroom or cream of mushroom soup

1 carton (8 oz) sliced fresh mushrooms

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

4 oz cream cheese, cubed (from 8-oz package)

1 container (8 oz) sour cream

6 cups hot cooked egg noodles or rice

Instructions

In 12-inch skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add beef strips, onion and garlic; cook 7 to 9 minutes, stirring occasionally. or until beef is browned.

In 3-1/2- to 4-1/2-quart slow cooker, mix beef mixture, soup, mushrooms, salt and pepper.

Cover; cook on low heat setting 5 to 6 hours or until beef is tender.

Stir cream cheese into beef mixture until melted. Stir in sour cream until well blended. Serve over noodles.

CHILI MAC

This is from Ali Slagle in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Ali wrote, "“Nothing induces a feeling of security and comfort better than the come-hither aroma of an honest pot of chili mac keeping warm on the stove.” Many would agree with what Jane and Michael Stern wrote in “The Lexicon of Real American Food” (Lyons Press, 2011), whether they’ve had the thrifty, hearty combination of macaroni and chili at a family dinner table, around a campfire, bellied up to a bar somewhere near Lake Michigan or even in an M.R.E. in a military dining room. This supersavory version is a cinch, requiring just one pot and minimal chopping. (For another common chili pasta, see this Cincinnati chili con carne.)"

Prep Time: 5 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 35 mnutes; Yield: 4 to 6 servings

This can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1024668-chili-mac. While you're at it, if you haven't already signed up for The New York Times cooking enewsletter, I highly recommend it. Great food, guides, and more.

Speaking of guides, check out Sam Sifton's guide, "Our Ultimate Guide to Making the Best Chili."

Ingredients

1 tablespoon neutral oil (such as vegetable or grapeseed), plus more as needed

1 pound ground beef

1 yellow onion, finely chopped

1 tablespoon store-bought or homemade chili powder

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon garlic powder

Salt and pepper

1 (28-ounce) can crushed fire-roasted tomatoes

1 (14-ounce) can chicken broth

1 (15-ounce) can beans (such as kidney, black or any bean you like in chili), with their liquid

8 ounces elbow macaroni or another small pasta

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce

4 ounces grated sharp Cheddar, plus more for serving (both optional)

Hot sauce, thinly sliced scallions and chopped cilantro (all optional), for serving

Preparation

In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high. Add the beef and press into an even layer to fill the pot. Sprinkle with the onion. Cook, undisturbed, until the beef is deeply browned underneath, 6 to 8 minutes (the meat won’t be fully cooked). If you don’t see fat sizzling around the edges of the pot, add a teaspoon or two of more oil.

Add the chili powder, cumin and garlic powder and season generously with salt and pepper. Cook, breaking up the beef with a spoon into small pieces, until the onion is softened and the spices are fragrant, 2 to 4 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, chicken broth, beans and their liquid, pasta and Worcestershire sauce and scrape up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot. Simmer, stirring often, until the pasta is al dente, 10 to 12 minutes. If the pot starts to look dry at any point, add water, 1/4 cup at a time.

Turn off the heat and stir in the Cheddar, if using, until melted. Season to taste with salt, pepper and hot sauce (if using). Serve topped with scallions, cilantro, hot sauce and more Cheddar as desired.

BARBECUE-CHEDDAR CHICKEN PASTA

This is from a Publix email. Servings: 6; Active Time: 15 minutes; Total Time: 6 hours, 16 minutes

To view this online, go to https://ww4.publix.com/recipes-planning/aprons-simple-meals/barbecue-cheddar-chicken-pasta-with-simple-watermelon-ice-cream. It comes with another recipe (Simple Watermelon Ice Cream).

Ingredients

1 small red onion, coarsely chopped

1 medium green bell pepper, coarsely chopped

1 block sharp cheddar cheese (6–8 oz), shredded

1 Deli smoked (or oven-roasted) chicken, shredded

4 slices thick-cut bacon

1 (14.5-oz) can diced tomatoes with garlic, undrained

2 cups no-salt-added chicken stock (or broth)

1/2 cup bold and spicy barbecue sauce

9 oz fresh linguine (or fettucine) pasta

3 oz presliced green onions

Directions

Chop red onion and pepper. Shred cheese (about 2 cups).

Shred chicken (2 cups).

Cut bacon into 1/2-inch pieces, then place in large sauté pan on medium (wash hands); cook bacon 5–6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until crisp. Remove bacon from pan; drain, reserving 2 tablespoons bacon drippings in pan.

Return pan to heat, then add red onions and peppers; cook 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until lightly browned. Add tomatoes, stock, and barbecue sauce; stir to combine and bring to a simmer.

Stir in chicken, pasta, and 1 cup cheese; cook and stir 2–3 minutes or until pasta is tender, cheese has melted, and sauce has thickened. Divide mixture among serving plates; top evenly with reserved bacon pieces, remaining 1 cup cheese, and green onions. Serve.

Aprons Advice

Complete your meal with fresh salad blend, steamed vegetables, crusty bread, and lemonade.