Browned Butter Pork and Butternut Squash Lasagna

This isn’t your traditional lasagna, but oh good heavens, the flavors of pork, butternut squash, browned butter, sage, and cheese is pure comfort! Browned butter pork and butternut squash lasagna is about to be your new favorite lasagna recipe!

You won’t find tomatoes, ricotta cheese or tomato sauce in this lasagna, but it is bringing all the feelings of warm winter comfort food to our family! The flavors are the most amazing combination! I mean it’s got pork, one of my all time favorite meats, browned butter-pure heaven, carbs-who doesn’t love carbs, and melty, gooey, delicious cheese. BOO-YAH!

I love comfort food more than anything else. Sure smoked pulled pork is stinking delicious, and Hawaiian Pulled Pork is absolutely mouth watering, but make me choose between one of those recipes and a comfort food like Browned Butter Butternut and Pork Lasagna and hands down the lasagna wins.

Creating Butternut Squash Lasagna

As soon as I got the email from the National Pork Board to create a few recipes for them I knew I’d say yes to working with them, but then they wanted comfort recipes?! Heck yeah I’m on board with that. And this lasagna was born. And we loved it. And now you will too.

I was looking through the recipe section on the Pork Be Inspired site and man, everything looks so juicy and delicious! I’ve found many a wonderful recipe there, but I was actually trying to make sure that there wasn’t a recipe like this one, which there isn’t. Butternut squash actually smells comforting. It’s so warm, nutty, and creamy. I just knew that a combination of my favorite fall/winter flavor with pork was totally the way to go. Oh, and there’s a secret in the puree, Ginger Snap cookies. Trust me, it’s exactly what the puree needs.

Ingredients for Butternut Squash Lasagna

I’m going to divide this recipe into 3 different parts – the butternut squash, the browned butter sauce (béchamel sauce) and the lasagna layers.

For the Squash

• Butternut Squash: peeled and chopped, ready for roasting
• Olive Oil: helps roast and caramelize the squash
• Salt & Black Pepper: adds flavor
• Sage: you’ll want fresh sage and we will use it to add flavor to the butternut squash puree
• Ginger Snap Cookies: an unexcepted ingredient but the flavor it adds it crucial

For the Browned Butter Sauce

• Butter: browned for added flavor and creates the base for the béchamel
• Garlic: adds flavor and can be increased or decreased to your liking
• Flour: combined with the butter is creates the creamy base for the béchamel
• Low Fat Milk: helps thin out the sauce
• Half and Half: adds creaminess and richness
• Nutmeg: adds flavor and warmth
• Salt and Black Pepper: adds flavor

For the Lasag

The Easiest Korean Ground Beef Recipe

This easy Korean ground beef recipe is a tasty dinner idea that is light on the budget but heavy on the bold Korean flavors! You’re family is going to love it!

So, you need an idea for ground beef that isn’t casserole, taco, or soup? Yeah, me too, so I set out to make something wonderful and delicious and then couldn’t help myself and made it a budget friendly dinner idea too!

I grew up with the same plate my entire life:

• Meat
• Veggie
• Carb

And then I grew up and did the exact same thing with a few twists to our staple dinners that Mom had made:

• Cheesy Ground Beef and Rice Casserole
• Pork Chops and Rice
• Stew
• Potato Soup
• Idaho Tacos (don’t knock it until you try it)

But then I got to thinking, just because it isn’t 1999 doesn’t mean that mom’s don’t want quick, easy and cheap dinner ideas. It just means they need them with a modern twist! So, Korean Ground Beef was born. It’s a cheaper version of bulgogi, and we love bulgogi!!

I’ve made it with mushrooms, peas, peppers, and all sorts of additions but the truth is, it doesn’t need anything but ground beef, sauce and rice. It’s easy to make, even easier to freeze (both pre and post cooking) and all you have to serve is a little steamed veggie next to it.

Recommended Equipment

• Meat Chopper
• Cast Iron Pan

Before You Begin…

If you’re planning to serve this Korean ground beef over rice, then the first thing you will want to do is get your rice cooking. That way the rice will be ready when the beef is finished.

Ingredients for Korean Ground Beef

I mentioned that this recipe is budget-friendly so let me prove it now by listing out the ingredients you will need. Everything is easy to find at the grocery and might even be in your pantry already. Here is your shopping list:

• Canola or Vegetable Oil: used to cook the ground beef and garlic
• Ground Beef: You can also use ground chuck.
• Garlic: adds flavor to the meat
• Soy Sauce: adds Asian flavor and saltiness
• Orange Juice: adds flavor and acidity
• Brown Sugar: adds depth of flavor and sweetness
• Sweet Chili Sauce: adds a little heat and sweetness

Rosemary Orange Glazed Roasted Pork Tenderloin

Orange glazed pork tenderloin is marinated in a delicious rub and then glazed in a sweet and tangy sauce making it juicy on the inside and crusty on the outside.

I have not had many pork tenderloins and it hasn’t helped that Cade hasn’t been interested in them either. Every now and again I’d step into the ol’ Pinterest app and sure enough another pork loin was front and center. Now I know all about algorithms and that Pinterest had caught on that I slowed my scrolling seeing the pics but even so, it worked.

I’ve been testing and testing to turn an often flavorless meat into dish for a Sunday dinner that wasn’t a hassle but looked and tasted like the best home cooked meal ever. The key? Letting the rub sit on the meat for a whole day. And what rub is that? Based off of an old orange and cranberry relish my sister used to stuff breaded chicken with. Oh it’s so good!

What Ingredients Do You Need for Orange Glazed Pork Tenderloin?

Aside from the pork tenderloins, you will need a few ingredients for the rub and few ingredients for the sauce. A phenomenal homemade meal is just this easy. Here is your shopping list:

• Pork Tenderloin
• Orange
• Orange Juice
• Garlic
• Smoked Paprika
• Olive Oil
• Kosher Salt
• Yukon Gold Potatoes
• Brussels Sprouts

Sauce

• Orange Zest
• Orange Juice
• Brown Sugar
• Orange Marmalade
• Rosemary
• Cinnamon

The measurements for each ingredient can be found in the recipe card below.

How to Make Orange Glazed Pork Loin

I love when a Sunday dinner is quick and easy but tastes like you’ve been in the kitchen for hours and hours. That is this pork tenderloin recipe in a nutshell! Here are the basic steps:

• Combine all the ingredients for the paste in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
• Rub all over the pork and cover with plastic wrap. Keep in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours.
• Remove from fridge and wipe off the excess rub. Let rest.
• Combine all the ingredients for the sauce in a saucepan and let simmer until it thickens.
• Preheat oven and bake, adding some sauce for the last 20 minutes.
• Prep the veggies and add them the last 20-30 minutes.
• Pour the remaining sauce over the top with fresh herbs for garnish.
• Let rest then slice and serve.

The complete instructions can be found in the recipe card at the end of the post.

Is Pork Loin The Same As Pork Roast?

Pork loin is a cut of meat.  The proper term is po

Award Winning Instant Pot Chili Recipe [+VIDEO]

Instant Pot Chili that is award winning and bringing home cook-off victories across the country. You don’t want to miss diving into a bowl of our best chili!

If you want from scratch, our traditional chili is your answer. It took us 10 years to discover an award winning recipe and this is finally it, plus it’s an instant pot recipe which means it’s all done in less than 1 hour (with instructions for cooking on the stove top or crock pot as well)!! It is full of bacon, ground beef, beans, classic chili spices and all the toppings you want!

Let’s talk about how to make this homemade chili step by step, and discuss what goes well with it, and how to freeze it to eat later. So much to talk about, so let’s get going!

We attended a chili cook-off and brought this awesome Cheesy Ground Beef Enchilada Chili. It was so good, but soooo many arteries were clogged that night. It’s pretty unhealthy, but I heard a rumor that if you don’t eat it alone the calories don’t count.

Pretty sure that’s true.

If you want a healthy chili recipe, you should definitely try our award winning healthy turkey instant pot version, which uses ground turkey instead of beef. And imho, all chili, healthy or not so healthy, should be accompanied with a side of cornbread or our crazy easy 7-Up biscuits!

Chili Cook-Off Idea!

• Muffin Tin Trick

Oh! And listen to this, at the chili cook-off a couple of people brought muffin tins and then placed a sample scoop of each kind in the well so they could try them all and vote without going back or over eating. GENIUS. That’s seriously the smartest thing ever.

Next to figuring out this award winning instant pot chili recipe, right?! 😉

We hurried and made you all a video to help with the questions. Thank you for all of your love and support with making this the #1 chili out there!

Ingredients for Instant Pot Chili

• Meat: Ground Beef and Bacon
• Beans: Kidney Beans, Pinto Beans, and Black Beans
• Tomatoes: Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes and Tomato Paste
• Vegetables: Red Onion, Red Bell Pepper, Garlic, and Jalapeño
• Broth: Beef Broth and Worcestershire Sauce
• Spices: Oregano, Ground Cumin, Kosher Salt, Ground Black Pepper, Smoked Paprika, Chili Powder
• Toppings: Sour Cream,

Teriyaki Chicken Casserole [+ Video]

This classic baked teriyaki chicken casserole recipe is easy to make and the perfect crowd pleasing recipe for a busy weeknight dinner or potluck.

It’s everything you love about takeout without leaving your house! Casseroles are great for dinner because they’re easy to throw together and comforting to come home to. This casserole combines chicken with a sweet savory glaze mixed with tasty fried rice and loads of healthy vegetables!

Before You Begin…

I know, this is kind of like a souped up fried rice, but I’m still calling it a casserole since we are adding in a few extras. We start with our ham fried rice recipe for the base of this casserole. If you haven’t already, you’re going to want to read that post because there’s a secret to making perfect fried rice. Both the fried rice and the teriyaki sauce can be made a day or two ahead of time.

How This Recipe Came to Be

One night after we made a huge batch of the fried rice, our fridge died. And I mean, died. We went just over two weeks without the dang thing while we waited for parts to come in. That first day I knew I needed to throw together a casserole because we didn’t have anything for dinner that night, so the teriyaki chicken casserole was born and what a blessing in disguise because it turned out awesome-sauce!

Well, there were a few months that were bitterly cold and we were feeling so grateful for a warm house. Because almost two weeks after the fridge died our furnace went out. Yaaaaaay. (Can you hear my sarcasm?). What a blessing it was that it was winter so we were able to keep condiments, butter, and such outside.

We learned that we can survive without the fridge. It changed our eating habits and was quite hard, especially for a food blogger, but it just took creativity for meals and helped us to remember to be grateful for our modern day conveniences.

And in the end we made a killer rice casserole recipe with teriyaki chicken, broccoli, fried rice and extra sauce. So maybe in the end the whole fridge debacle was worth it. Because this teriyaki chicken casserole is that delicious. 

Where Does Teriyaki Chicken Come From?

Teriyaki is a cooking technique where foods are grilled or broiled in a glaze of soy sauce, mirin and sugar. It is usually associated with Japanese cuisine, but the technique is used in many Asian cuisines. Teriyaki chicken is a Japanese-American cuisine.

What’s in Teriyaki Chicken Casserole? 

For this easy chicken casserole, you’ll need fried rice, a chicken breast, a packag