Category: Casseroles

Breads · Casseroles

Breakfast Bread

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We are down to 13 days before turkey day and if you are like me, (if you are, you poor thing), you are probably looking through magazines for new recipes to welcome family around the table. But not just any recipes, you want ones that are easy, quick but taste like Paula Deen, herself, were in your kitchen. This my dear ladies and gentlemen, is one of those recipes. It is like a breakfast bread pudding, without the cream sauce. I guess if you wanted you could make a gravy for those who think that any breakfast should include gravy. But make a batch this weekend to see how great it is.

2 cups shredded cheese

1 lb sausage, cooked and drained

8 eggs, beaten (we are sorry we always have to beat you, but it gets any hostility out before our hubby gets home)

3 tables chopped green chiles

1/2 cup chopped onion (optional, if you prefer, sprinkle in 1 teas of onion powder)

1 large can Grand biscuits, quartered

Mix all ingredients together. Spray a bundt pan with Pam (or Harriet, or Jane).  Pour mixture into pan. Bake in 350 preheated oven for 35-40 min….I told you it was easy…now get to the store and buy your sausage and biscuits and make it this weekend.

Breads · Casseroles

Moist & Light Cornbread Dressing

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After a comment from Sharon telling me that she is wanting to try a different version of Dressing this Thanksgiving, I began to go through some of my old cookbooks (at 3 a.m., that is what happens when you get old, you are awake all night) and found one that sounds very interesting. It is different than others that we find and comes from a cookbook a friend, Peggy gave me that she found back in 2005, of recipes from the ladies of 1st Bapt Church, Jacksonville, Florida. If you know anything about Baptist, especially ones in the South, you know they like to eat. This cookbook is jammed with some old favorites that I haven’t seen in years. Sharon, I have not made this yet, but just from the ingredients, you can tell that it will have a very rich flavor and the little bit of baking powder will make it very light.

7.5 oz box of yellow corn muffin mix (Jiffy brand will make it a little sweet, so if you don’t like that, use another brand that doesn’t use as much sugar)

8 oz pkg herb seasoned stuffing

1 lb fresh sage flavored pork sausage (if that is too sausagey (don’t know if that is a real word, but am going to go with it) for you, only use 1/2 lb of the sausage)

1 tables parsley flakes

2 teas garlic powder

1 cup onion, minced

1 cup celery, minced

1/2 cup bell pepper, optional

3 eggs

2 tables baking powder

2 cups chicken stock

3 tables bacon drippings

Salt & Pepper to taste

Prepare muffin mix according to directions. Bake as directed and put aside.

Cook sausage in skillet until crumbly stage. Add onion, celery and peppers, sauté.

Into a large bowl, mix crumbled muffins, stuffing mix, baking powder, 3 beaten eggs, garlic, parsley, salt and pepper.

Toss together well. Add stock, and bacon drippings. Mix lightly, but well; add more liquid if it is too stiff.

Spoon mixture into a 9×13 baking dish, you have sprayed with Pam. Do not pat or pack down. Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 1 hour. If you like a crunch top, take cover off the last 15 minutes of baking.

 

Casseroles · Chicken

Chicken & Dressing Casserole

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It is true what they say, if you wait long enough, things come back in style and they were right. (have you ever found out who “they” are?)

The popularity of casseroles is coming back. Maybe it is the time crunch everyone seems to have, or economics or just plain wanting something easy and fast. The following casserole was a great seller when we used to have Mistletoe Market at our house in October. It was a gathering of different ladies who would sell jewelry, purses, holiday goodies and frozen casseroles which I made. Here was one that was so easy to make and it keeps well in the freezer for company at holiday time.

1 chicken, cooked and deboned

2 tables butter (to sauté the onion/celery)

1/2 cup chopped celery

1/2 cup chopped onion (to make this easier, just buy the container of mixed chopped onions/celery mix in the fresh veggie section of your grocery store)

1 can cream of celery soup

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 cup milk

1 package herb stuffing mix

1/4 cup butter

2 cups chicken broth.

Saute the onion, celery mixture in about 2 tables of butter until onion is clear and celery is tender (about 10 minutes). Set aside.

Place chicken in bottom of a 9×13 greased baking dish. Combine soups & milk. Pour over chicken. Add onion/celery mixture to dry stuffing mix and sprinkle this mixture over top of the soups. Melt butter in chicken broth. Pour over stuffing and bake at 350 for 35-40 min. Serve with green veggie and salad.

 

 

Casseroles · Starches

Zesty Corn Macaroni Casserole

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It was just so exciting to find this long loved recipe that I had been looking for the last 10 years. When Randy and I first married, we used to go to Colorado for a week and stay where his mom and dad would park their travel RV. It was always such fun to sit around the campfire with people that had been camping together for as long as 25 years. They had seen each others kids grow up. They had experienced marriages, divorces, deaths, but most of all, they experienced friendship that grew over camping together for many years. It was at one of these camp cookouts that one of my mother-in-laws friends brought this casserole. I couldn’t quit eating it. It was one of those foods that became a comfort food and when I lost it, I was so disappointed. This past week, while at my daughter’s house, I was looking through her cookbooks and found this cookbook that came from all the wonderful cooks there at the campground where my inlays used to go. Leafing through, I saw “the recipe”…..I cannot tell you how excited I was. So here it is and you won’t believe how easy it is to make. Great for those church dinners or a side dish to any meat.

1 cup macaroni(uncooked) (isn’t that awesome, you don’t even have to cook it before using it)

1 can Rotel Tomatoes with green chiles

1/2 cup chopped onions

1 can undrained whole kernel corn

1 can cream style corn

1 cup Velveeta cheese, cubed

1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick)

Combine all ingredient6s and pour into a 9×13 inch greased baking dish. Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes at 375. Remove the foil and bake 30 min longer uncovered to give the casserole a crusty topping.

Makes 8 servings

Casseroles · Chicken

Chicken Pesto

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This is on the Paula Deen web page and sounds like a winner to me. The flavor of pesto, chicken alongside veggies and fettuccine is a great combination and so easy and quick to prepare.
Ingredients

  1. 1 (16-ounce) package fettuccine
  2. 1 pound fresh chicken tenderloins
  3. ½ teaspoon salt
  4. ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  5. 1 tablespoon olive oil
  6. 1 small onion, thinly sliced
  7. 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
  8. 1 yellow squash, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
  9. 1 zucchini, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
  10. 2 cups heavy whipping cream
  11. ¼ cup prepared pesto

Instructions

  1. Pepare fettuccine according to package directions and keep warm. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper.
  2. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add chicken, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until golden brown. Remove from skillet, and cut into ½-inch pieces.
  3. Add onion and bell pepper to skillet, and cook, over medium heat, for 3 to 4 minutes, or just until tender. Add squash and zucchini, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or just until tender. Stir in cream and pesto, and cook for 5 minutes, or until slightly thickened. Add pasta and chicken, tossing gently to coat. Serve immediately.
Makes 4 – 6 servings
Casseroles · Chicken · Meats · Starches

All Sold Out Chicken Pot Pies

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Taken from one of my fav recipe books, The Pastry Queen, which was given to me by a good friend, this chicken pot pie has people calling the PQ early on Tues mornings when she makes them to reserve them. The more she makes, the more she sells, unable to keep up the demand. She has graciously put the recipe in her cookbook so those of us unable to drive to Fredricksburg, TX can now experience these great little pies.

Filling:

3 tables unsalted butter

1 medium sized yellow onion, chopped

1 large russet potato, peeled and diced

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 red bell pepper, diced

8 oz button mushrooms, sliced

1/2 teas crushed red pepper flakes

Salt & Pepper

1 purchased cooked rotisserie chicken or 1 whole stewed chicken, cooled

8 oz fresh green beans, cut into 1″ pieces (optional)

1 (8 oz) package frozen peas (optional) *See below regarding carrots.

Cream Sauce

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

1 cup all purpose flour

2 1/3 cups chicken stock

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

Dash of hot pepper sauce, such as Tabasco

Salt

Crust

1 cup (2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter

3 cups all purpose flour

10 oz chilled cream cheese

1 teas salt

1/4 teas pepper (preferably white pepper)

1 egg for brushing over the dough to brown it

To make filling:

Melt butter in a large saute pan set over medium heat. Add the onion and potato; sauté for 5 min. Add garlic, bell pepper and mushrooms and sauté for about 15 min, until potatoes are tender. Stir in crushed red pepper flakes and salt and pepper to taste.

While the vegetables are sautéing; skin the chicken, pull the meat off the bones and shred the meat or cut into bite-size pieces. Place the green beans in a microwave safe bowl and add enough water to cover. Cover the dish and microwave on high power for about 10 min, until beans are tender. Drain thoroughly. Stir the beans, peas, and chicken into the vegetable mixture. Set the filling aside.

*(Because we aren’t a “pea” family, we substitute chopped fresh carrots for the peas and make it green beans and carrots instead of green beans and peas)

Cream Sauce

Melt the butter over medium heat in large saucepan. Add the flour and whisk until smooth. Whisk in the chicken stock and cook the sauce over medium heat until it thickens to the consistency of a cream soup. Add the whipping cream, hot pepper sauce and salt & pepper to taste.

Pour the cream sauce over the chicken filling and stir to combine. Fill individual 1 3/4 cup capacity oven-safe bowls 3/4 of the way to the top with the creamed chicken filling.

Crust:

Preheat oven to 375. Cut the butter into 16 pieces. In the bowl of a food processor, fitted with a metal blade, pulse the butter and flour until crumbly. Add the cream cheese, salt and continue pulsing just until the dough forms a ball.

Set the dough on a flat surface dusted with flour. (I use waxed paper, dusted with the flour, instead of just putting on cabinet, makes clean up so much easier)

Using a floured rolling pin (please tell me you didn’t sell your rolling pin in the garage sell), roll out the dough to 1/4″ thickness. Measure the diameter of the pot pie bowls-such as 4-5 in across and cut out dough rounds that are 1 1/2 ” larger in diameter. Whisk the egg in a small bowl. Lay the dough rounds on top of the pot pies, making sure the dough hangs evenly over each bowl. Brush the dough lightly with the beaten egg. Bake the pies for 20-25 min, until golden brown. Serve immediately with a salad and sweetened iced tea.

Casseroles · Chicken · Starches

Chicken, Spinach & Mushroom Pasta Bake

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Makes 6-8 Servings

Paula does it again, just when you think there could not be another recipe using chicken and pasta that you hadn’t had before, she comes out with a new, delicious recipe that is amazing.

1 (16 oz) box rotini pasta

2 tables butter

1 (8 oz) package sliced fresh mushrooms

1/2 cup chopping onion

1/4 cup all purpose flour

1 (32 oz) carton chicken broth

3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

2 (10 oz) packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken

1 tables dijon mustard

1 1/2 teas salt

1/2 teas pepper

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions and keep warm. (but don’t let sit in the water)

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 13×9 in baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Add mushrooms and onion. Cook stirring frequently for 5 min. Add flour; cook, stirring constantly for 2 min. Stir in broth and cook, stirring often, for 10 min or until mixture is thickened and bubbly. Add mozzarella cheese, stirring until cheese melts. Remove mixture from heat.

Stir in spinach, chicken and next 3 ingredients and cooked pasta. Spoon mixture into prepared dish. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake for 25 -30 min or until hot and bubbly.

Beef · Casseroles

Beef Tips & Caramelized Onion Casserole

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Have been cleaning out some magazines from past years and came across this Paula Deen Recipe from 2008. I cannot believe that I missed it the first time around. This is so right up my alley and combines two of my favs……beef tips and caramelized onions. So here it is. I think you will like this and it will become a household favorite.

2 tables olive oil

4 pounds sirloin tip roast, trimmed and cut into 1″ cubes

1/2 teas salt and pepper

2 tables butter

4 large sweet onions, thinly sliced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/3 cup all purpose flour

2 (10.5 oz) cans beef consomme

1 (14 oz) can beef broth

2 tables Worcestershire sauce

2 bay leaves

2 springs fresh thyme (or 1 teas dried)

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

1/2 (14 oz) package French bread, cut into 1/4″ thick slices, toasted

1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

In a large Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Sprinkle roast with salt and pepper. Brown roast, in batches for 3-4 min per side, remove from pan and set aside.

In same pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onions, and cook, stirring frequently for 15-20 min or until onions are tender. Increase heat to medium-high and cook for 3-4 min, stirring until onions are caramel colored. Stir in garlic and flour. Cook, stirring constantly for 2 min. Add the roast, consomme, broth, Worcestershire, bay leaves, and thyme. Simmer, stirring occasionally, uncovered for 1 hour. Stir in cream, and simmer, uncovered for 30 min. Discard bay leaves.

Spoon roast mixture into prepared baking dish. Place toasted french bread slices evenly over roast. Sprinkle with cheese. Broil, 5 in from heat, for 3-4 min or until cheese is melted. Watch closely to be sure bread and cheese to do burn. Serve immediately with rice or potatoes and veggie of your choice. This dish is so company worthy…..it is a winner!

 

Casseroles · Chicken · Starches

Wild Rice Casserole

Chocolate Castles2 Comments

Am back from Texas where I feasted on fried shimp, Whataburger, Luby’s and the best of all, Kiko’s mexican food, my all time favorite since the late 1970’s…just remarkable mexican food like no other.

But this week has found me looking for a few new recipes to cook for Easter Sunday. It is hard to decide between potatoes or rice, and I find myself leaning toward this new recipe from Southern Living..it will go great with my slow cooker pork roast.

1 (2.25 oz) package sliced almonds

2 (6.2 oz) boxes fast cooking long grain and wild rice mix

1/4 cup butter

4 celery ribs, chopped

2 medium onions, chopped

2 (10 3/4 oz) cans cream of mushroom soup

2 (8 oz) cans chopped water chestnuts, drained

1 (8 oz) container sour cream

1 cup milk

1/2 teas salt

1/2 teas pepper

4 cups (16 oz) shredded cheddar cheese, divided

2 cups soft, fresh breadcrumbs

Preheat oven to 350. Bake almonds in a single layer in a shallow pan 4-6 min or until toasted, stirring halfway through.

Prepare rice mixes according to package directions.

Meanwhile, melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat; add celery and onions. Saute 10 min or until tender. Stir in next 6 ingredients, rice and 3 cups cheese. Spoon mixture into a lightly greased 15,10 in baking dish or 2 (11×7) baking dishes. Top with breadcrumbs.

Bake at 350 for 35 min. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup cheese and top with toasted almonds. Bake 5 min.

*If you want to make this a one-dish meal, just having to add a salad, add 4 cups chopped chicken to the recipe when you are adding the rice and 3 cups cheese*

Breads · Casseroles

Blueberry Cream Cheese French Toast

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This was taken from the Just A Pinch Web Recipe Club. A great recipe for putting in the fridge the night before and then all you have to do is bake it in the morning. Serve it up with some bacon or little smokies and you have yourself a breakfast you would find at the finest Bed & Breakfast

FRENCH TOAST
12 slc bread, any kind
2 pkg 8 oz – cream cheese, room temperature
1 c blueberries, fresh or frozen
12 lg eggs
1 to 2 c milk, add a little at a time until milk is absorbed by bread
1/3 c maple syrup or honey
BLUEBERRY SAUCE
1 c sugar
2 Tbsp cornstarch
1 c water
1 c blueberries, fresh or frozen
1 Tbsp butter
Spray 9 X 13 inch dish with Pam. Cut or tear bread into cubes and arrange in the bottom of dish
2
 Cut up cream cheese into 1 in cubes. Drop the cream cheese cubes over the top of the bread. Sprinkle 1 cup blueberries over the top.
 3
 In mixing bowl, combine 12 eggs, 2 cups milk, 1/3 cup maple syrup. Pour this mixture, a little at a time until the bread soaks up the milk but not soggy. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.
4
 Blueberry Sauce:
You can make this ahead of time and refrigerate, then warm up before serving.
 5
 Stir together 1 cup sugar and 2 Tbls cornstarch in a medium sauce pan. Add 1 cup water and stir until smooth. Stir well so cornstarch won’t be clumpy. Heat to boiling and stir 2-3 minutes until thickened.
6
 Add 1 cup blueberries, simmer for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally until blueberries start to burst. Don’t let them all burst. I like some of the blueberries whole.
 7
 Turn heat off the blueberry sauce and stir in 1 Tbls butter. Store in plastic or glass container and refrigerate until ready to use.
8
 The next morning preheat oven to 350 degrees. Take casserole out of the refrigerator. Place covered cassrole in a 350 degree oven and bake for 30 minutes. Then uncover and bake for another 25-30 minutes or until top is a golden brown and the center is set.
9
 While the casserole is baking, you can heat up the blueberry sauce on top of the oven or microwave until warm. Serve over top of casserole.
 10
 Prep time:
30 min to put everything together
8-24 hours – refrigerate several hours or overnight until bread is soaked through with egg, milk mixture.
Cook time: 1 hour
 11
 Alternate Sauce, I call it cheating.
Take jam or preserves, what ever flavor of fruit you are using to make this. Put preserves in small sauce pan, add 1 Tbls cornstarch, mix until smooth, add additional fruit if desired. Warm in sauce pan until smooth and thickened. Serve over the french toast, ice cream or anything else you can think of.
 12
 Apparently, some people are getting soggy results. Add milk a little at a time until milk is absorbed by bread, you don’t want it to be soggy before you bake it. If its soggy before you bake it, it will be soggy after you bake it.