Seared Scallops with Wilted Greens

Another Bev Cooks recipe, because hers are easy but GOOD. This one is not a casserole. It's actually kind of fancy, and really only serves 2 adults. But I definitely want to make it again!

Seared Scallops with Wilted Winter Greens from Bev Cooks

Ingredients

* 8 large dry-packed scallops (about a pound)
* 3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
* 4-5 cloves garlic, minced
* 5 oz arugula
* 3 cups chopped kale
* 1/2 cup Chardonnay
* 3 Tbs. butter, divided
* 1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
* salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. Add the arugula and kale; toss to wilt. Season with a small pinch of salt. Remove from the skillet.

2. Back in the pan, add another Tbs. oil and 2 Tbs. butter. Once the butter has melted, add the scallops. Sear for a minute and a half; flip and sear another minute. You should see a nice sear-y crust on one side. Remove the scallops and set aside.

3. Back in the pan, add the remaining Tbs. of butter, the wine and lemon juice. Whisk and simmer until reduced by half. Taste and add a tiny pinch of salt, if needed!

4. Serve the scallops over a mound of wilted greens, finished with a good drizzle of the wine sauce. Add lemon zest as a garnish if you want! You should want.

Greek Chicken Casserole

THIS. My new favorite way to cook chicken. So easy! So delicious! So different from what we normally eat (i.e. lots of Mexican and Italian flavors).

Greek Chicken Casserole straight from Bev Cooks

Ingredients

* 1 cup jasmine rice
* 2 cups chicken stock
* 1 1/2 pounds chicken breast (about four)
* 1 tsp salt
* 1 tsp thyme
* 1 tsp dried oregano
* 1 tsp onion powder
* 1 tsp garlic powder
*1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese (optional)
* 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
* 1/2 cup diced cucumber
* 1/3 cup halved Kalamata olives
* fresh parsley leaves
* one lemon, for squeezing

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Pour the rice in the bottom of an 8x12 casserole dish.

3. In a small bowl, combine the salt, thyme, oregano, onion powder and garlic powder. Rub all over the chicken breasts.

4. Place the chicken on top of the dried rice. Evenly pour the stock over the chicken and rice.

5. Cover and bake for 45 minutes to an hour, or until the rice is cooked through, but not mushy.

6. Once out of the oven, evenly sprinkle over the casserole the feta, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, olives and parsley leaves. Give the entire thing a good squeeze of lemon, and serve with extra lemon slices. YUM.

Spaghetti Squash Pizza Casserole

I'm really trying to get out of a cooking rut. For a long time after having a baby, it was an achievement to get ANY sort of dinner on the table. It's still a monumental task some days, but other days, Noah helps out and we make dinner without meltdowns (from either one of us-- ha!). I'm a huge fan of casseroles because they are often easier, they warm up the house, and they're usually even better as leftovers! So forgive me while I share a few of them here, for easy access to make again later.

Spaghetti Squash Pizza Casserole modified from PaleOMG

Ingredients

• 1 large spaghetti squash (about 600 grams)
• 1 pound Italian sausage
• ½ yellow onion, diced
• 1 cup pizza sauce
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 eggs, whisked
• (you can add anything else you like with pizza: veggies, cheese, etc)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and scoop the seeds out. Place spaghetti squash cut side down in agreased 8x8 dish and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the skin of the squash gives when you press on it. 
3. Remove squash from over and reduce oven heat to 350 degrees.
4. Scoop the threads out of the squash, squeeze over the sink to remove excess juices, and put the threads into the 8x8 greased baking dish. (Discard the squash skin.)
5. Place a large pan over medium heat on the stovetop. Cook onions with some oil until they are soft. Add onions to squash.
6.  Cook sausage in the large pan until pink no longer remains in the sausage and it is broken up into pieces.
7. Add dried basil, salt, pepper, and eggs to the squash and onion, and mix well. Drizzle the pizza sauce over the top of the mixture, and top with sausage crumbles.
8. Place in oven and bake for 1 hour or until the top of the mixture forms a slight crust that doesn't give when you press on it in the middle of the dish.