Ask Cathy Recipes

As busy moms and dads, we understand the challenge of not only getting dinner on the table every night but finding meals that EVERYONE will like. This is a collection of our tried and true family-friendly recipes for quick and easy meals! Each one of our team members selected their favorite recipe to share with our Ask Cathy community.

Happy Cooking!

Lasagna Soup

Shelly Rampetsreiter | VP of New Construction

Serves 4 | Prep Time: 15 minutes | Total Time: 50 minutes

Ingredients 

• 1 lb. bulk Italian sausage (prefer Scimecas)
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 1 lb. mushrooms, sliced
• 2 tbsp garlic, minced
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 8 cups chicken broth
• 1 (28 oz.) can Italian style stewed tomatoes, chopped
• 1 (10 3/4 oz.) can tomato puree
• 1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
• 1 cup Campanella pasta
• 2 cups fresh spinach
• 1 cup provolone cheese, shredded
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
• 4 tsp. thinly sliced fresh basil

Instructions

• Brown sausage in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onions and carrots; saute 3 minutes. Stir in mushrooms and garlic, saute another 3 minutes.
• Add broth, stewed tomatoes, tomato puree, and tomato sauce; bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer for 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, cook Campanella pasta according to directions, but remove from heat and drain when pasta is slightly undercooked (about 2 minutes less than the recommended time).
• Drop the pasta into the soup. Stir in spinach and cook until wilted. Place 1/4 cup provolone cheese into serving bowls.

Pour soup on top of the cheese, garnish with Parmesan and basil.

TO ASSEMBLE AHEAD OF TIME:

Prepare the recipe by adding the broth and tomatoes. At this point, refrigerate soup until ready to prepare and serve. Then bring back to a boil, add pasta and proceed with the remainder of the recipe as directed above.

Totchos 

Pam Bardy | VP of Listings

Serves 6 | Prep Time: 20 minutes | Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 bag frozen tater tots
• 1 package pepper jack cheese (sliced)
• 1 container Queso Blanco
• 1 container of salsa
• 1-2 avocados (for topping)
• fresh jalapeno
• Sour Cream (topping)

Instructions 

• Bake the tater tots to your preferred level of brownness based on the directions from the bag.
• While the tater tots are baking, cut the jalapenos and avocados into slices and heat up your Queso Blanco towards the end of tots baking time.
• Lightly cover the tater tots with slices of pepper jack cheese for approximately one minute in the oven or until melted.
• Remove tater tots from the oven and place on a plate.
• Have each person top their tots with the desired toppings. Recommended order: Queso Blanco, salsa, avocado, jalapeno, sour cream. Experiment with your favorite toppings! Some suggestions: fresh chives, onion, and bacon!

Three Cheese Manicotti

Sarah Cox | Listing Manager

Serves 6 | Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 package (8oz) manicotti shells
• 4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
• 2 cups ricotta cheese
• 1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp dried basil
• 1 jar (26oz) pasta sauce

Instructions 

• Preheat oven to 350° F. Lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking dish.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add manicotti and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente and then drain (optional: drizzle lightly with oil to prevent the noodles from sticking).
• In a bowl, mix 3 cups mozzarella cheese, ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, garlic, egg, and basil. Stuff cooked manicotti noodles with the mixture.
• Spread about 2 cups pasta sauce over the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Arrange stuffed manicotti in the dish, and cover with remaining sauce. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese.
• Bake 25-30 minutes in the preheated oven. until mozzarella is melted and bubbly.

Mexican Beef & Rice Casserole

Alicia Hodges | VP of Operations

Serves 4 | Prep Time: 25 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Ingredients 

• 1 lb extra-lean ground beef
• 1 -1/2 Cracker Barrel Shredded Creamy Mexicana Cheese, divided
• 1 pkg 30% less sodium taco seasoning mix
• 1 cup long-grain rice, uncooked
• 1 cup frozen mixed vegetables (carrots, peas, corn)
• 1 -3/4 cups undrained canned no-salt-added diced tomatoes
• 1 cup salsa
• 1 cup 25% less-sodium chicken broth

Instructions

• Heat oven to 375 ° F
• Brown meat in a large nonstick skillet. Reserve 1 cup cheese. Add remaining cheese and all remaining ingredients to meat in skillet; mix well.
• Spoon into 13 x 9-inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray; cover.
• Bake 40 to 50 min. or until rice is tender. Top with reserved cheese; bake, uncovered, 5 min. or until melted.

Streusel Corn Bread with Honey Pecan Butter

Shelly Rampetsreiter| VP of New Construction

Serves 6 | Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

Streusel Topping 

• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 cup flour
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, cold

Honey Pecan Butter 

• 1 cup (2 sticks of butter), softened
• 3 tbsp plus 3/4 tsp light brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 tbsp honey
• 6 tbsp chopped toasted pecans

Corn Bread

• 1 (8 oz.) packages of corn muffin mix
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2/3 cup cold water
• 1 1/2 tbsp dark corn syrup
• 3/4 cup cheddar cheese, sharp
• 1/3 cup corn kernels

Instructions 

• Prepare the Topping: combine brown sugar and flour. Add honey and toss to blend. Cut butter into pieces and add to flower. Mix using a pastry blender and blend into until mixture has a coarse texture the size of small peas.
• Prepare the Corn Bread: Combine the corn muffin mix and sugar in a mixing bowl. Add the eggs, water, and corn syrup and mix well. Stir in the cheese and corn. Spoon into a greased 9 x 13″ baking pan and bake in a preheated 325-degree oven for 20 minutes. Crumble the topping over the top and bake for 17-20 minutes longer or until golden brown.
• Prepare the Butter: Beat the butter in a mixing bowl until light. And the brown sugar, vanilla, honey, and pecans on ingredients at a time, beating constantly until well mixed. Serve immediately with the cornbread or store in the refrigerator.

Baked Chicken Chimichangas

Kelley Morgan | Closing Coordinator

Serves 4-6 | Prep Time: 15 minutes | Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients 

• 2 1/2 lbs chicken breast
• 2/3 Picante sauce
• 1/3 cup green onion, sliced
• 1 tsp ground cumin (add more to taste)
• 1/2 tsp oregano (add more to taste)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup melted margarine
• 1 cup cheddar cheese
• 8 flour tortillas (burrito size)
• 1 tbsp butter to saute onions

Instructions 

• Saute onions in butter then add shredded chicken, Picante sauce & spices into a large pan. Simmer until most of the liquid has evaporated.
• Brush 1 side of a tortilla with melted margarine and lay butter side down onto waxed paper.
• Place chicken mixture & cheese on each tortilla.
• Fold & place, seam down on cookie sheet.
• Bake at 475 degrees for about 13 minutes or until the tortilla is golden brown.
• Top with your favorite toppings (sour cream, salsa, Rotel, lettuce, etc.)

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Shea Painter | Listing Specialist

Serves 6 | Prep Time: 20 minutes | Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients 

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup of sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup mashed bananas (as ripe as possible works best, usually about 3 small bananas)
• 1/2 stick Crisco (1/2 cup shortening)
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk chocolate chips 

Instructions 

• Preheat oven to 350. Mix all ingredients except chocolate chips in a mixer on medium speed. Add in chocolate chips and stir. Pour batter equally into 2 regular sized loaf pans (8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 1/2).
• Bake approx. 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes, remove from pans and cool on wire rack.

Italian Meatloaf

Shea Painter | Listing Specialist

Serves 4-6 | Prep Time: 15 minutes | Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1/2 lb mild Italian sausage
• 3/4 cups Italian style bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 2-8 oz cans tomato sauce
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions 

• Combine beef, sausage, egg, bread crumbs, onion, and 1/3 cup tomato sauce, salt, pepper, and oregano.
• Mix well and shape into a rectangle on a 10 x 12 piece of wax paper. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over meatloaf and roll up like a jelly roll. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.
• Drain fat. Pour the remainder of tomato sauce and bake 15 more minutes.
• Let cool 10-15 minutes so cheese sets. Slice and enjoy!

Buffalo Cauliflower

Alison Gray | Marketing Director

Serves 4 | Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 head of cauliflower, cut into florets
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon ground paprika
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/3 cup Buffalo Sauce (we used Frank's!)

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 375°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine the spices, salt, and flour. Add the buttermilk and stir until combined. The mixture should be pretty thick!
• Add the cauliflower florets to the batter, coating each piece evenly in the buttermilk mixture. Place the coated cauliflower on the prepare baking pans, leaving room between each piece to the air can circulate around them.
• Bake for 20 minutes and then flip the cauliflower over to its other side to get an even bake. Bake for another 20 minutes on the other side!
• While the cauliflower bakes, make the buffalo sauce. Combine the buffalo sauce with the melted butter and whisk to combine.
• When the cauliflower is done, add the florets into the bowl the hot sauce mixture is in. Toss to combine and enjoy!