Look at me posting a brand new recipe!  I haven’t done this in weeks and honestly, it feels pretty good.  I mean, I actually took the time to come up with a new recipe, make that recipe, take pictures of that recipe, and then put it on here for you guys…

That’s intense for me. 

It’s so funny to think back just a few months when I was pumping out brand new recipes like it was no one’s business.  I even had recipes on backlog, ready to go weeks in advance.  Now I’m lucky if I even make a full meal let alone come up with something new and take the time to put it on the blog.

My priorities have shifted and that’s ok, but there are more growing pains than I expected.

The reason you’re getting this new (and tasty) recipe is because I got home a little earlier than normal on Wednesday.  See, the majority of the week, I live with my parents.  I work with my Dad, and we work out of our house.  I used to commute every day but that was starting to wear on me and then Adam and I decided to move in with my parents while we get ready to buy a house.  It just made more sense for me to stay with my parents rather than do the crazy commute all the time.

It stinks to be away from Adam and our home most of the time but Wednesday and Thursday I stay in Chicago with him.  We make the most of the situation by doing a date night every Thursday.  Sometimes we get ice cream, sometimes we take a walk, and sometimes (like last night) we watch HORRIBLE 80’s movies and eat popcorn.  It’s fun to date him again and it makes the most of the short time we get to spend together.

I threw this casserole together when I got home Wednesday so that I could just pop it in the oven on Thursday and not spend a bunch of time making dinner.  It turned out better than I thought and I will definitely make this again.  Plus it’s perfect for pizza night if you don’t actually want to buy pizza.  And you can customize this casserole to your tastes/what you have on hand.

Instead of ground meat use shredded chicken/pork or sliced sausage links.

Instead of spinach try kale or arugula.

Instead of mozzarella try parmesan or cheddar or gouda or a dairy-free version.

Whatever you choose to put in this casserole, it will turn out tasty and I’m pretty sure your family will gobble it up like mine did!

Sausage & Spinach Pizza Casserole 

• 16 oz cauliflower rice (I used Trader Joe’s brand but most stores have it)
• 8 oz bag of baby spinach
• 14 oz can of tomato sauce
• 1 lb ground beef/turkey
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp basil
• 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 375 and lightly oil a casserole dish.  Set aside.  Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the cauliflower rice.  Boil for 10 minutes.  Drain, reserving about 1/2 a cup of the water.  Set aside the cooked cauliflower rice.
2. While the cauliflower rice is cooking, brown the ground meat in a large skillet.  Add all the spices and cook all the way through.  Remove the meat from the pan and add a little olive oil.
3. Add the whole bag of spinach to the pan you used to brown the meat.  Saute until the spinach is wilted.
4. Place the wilted spinach, 1/4 cup of the mozzarella cheese, cooked cauliflower rice, and a few tablespoons of the reserved water to a blender or food processor in that order.
5. Pulse a few times adding water as needed to get things moving.  Once the spinach is incorporated and the cauliflower rice is mostly creamy, stop blending.
6. Stir the ground meat into this mix.  Spread half the sauce on the bottom of the casserole dish.  Pour all the spinach/meat mix over the top of the sauce and spread evenly.
7. Add the rest of the sauce and sprinkle with the remaining cheese**.  Bake covered for 30 minutes.  Remove the aluminum foil and bake another 10 minutes until the cheese is entirely melted and the edges are brown and bubbly.
8. Let the casserole cool for five to ten minutes before serving.

**You can stop at this step and keep the casserole in the fridge for up to a day before you decide to cook it.  Just remove the casserole from the fridge about 10 minutes before you start baking it**