Breakfast Sausage Casserole

(modified from Mr. Breakfast)

This seriously is the yummiest breakfast casserole I've ever had. I NEEDED to have this recipe the first time I tasted it.

16 oz day old bread, cubed or torn into bite sized pieces
16 oz sausage (cooked, drained & crumbled)
8 oz shredded cheddar cheese
10 eggs, slightly beaten
3 cups half & half
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dry mustard

Grease 9 X 13 pan well. Place bread in pan. Sprinkle with cheese and sausage. Combine rest of ingredients together and mix well. Pour over bread and refrigerate overnight.

Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees or until golden brown.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

The first time I had chicken cordon bleu was in middle school. My best friend's grandma would make it for her birthday every year. I LOVED it. Sadly, I don't have her recipe (hers were rolled up and fastened with toothpicks). But this one is very easy AND very yummy.

6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
6 slices of ham
6 slices of Swiss cheese
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/4 c milk
1/2 c butter, melted
2 c seasoned croutons

in greased casserole dish, layer chicken breast, ham, cheese. In small bowl, mix soup with milk. Pour over chicken. In another bowl, mix melted butter with croutons. Pour croutons over the top of the casserole.

Bake at 325 degrees for 1 1/2 hours.

Beautiful Baked Ziti

This recipe is from Johnsonville Sausage. It really is pleasing to the eye...and tummy.

1 pkg Johnsonville Sweet Italian Sausage, cooked according to package directions and coin sliced. (we actually have used ground beef or ground Italian Sausage instead, browned and drained)
8 oz penne or rigatoni dry pasta, cooked according to package directions
1 jar pasta sauce
3/4 c water
1 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
1 tbsp fresh garlic, chopped
1/2 c shredded Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 pkg frozen garlic bread, thawed and sliced into 12 slices (we use fresh french bread instead)
3 c shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 c olive oil
12 fresh whole basil leaves
2 Roma tomatoes, sliced into 12 slices

In a large bowl, mix sausage, pasta, sauce, water, chopped basil, garlic, Parmesan cheese and pepper. Toss gently. Place mixture into a greased 9 X 13 pan. Place twelve slices of garlic bread on top of mixture and cover with mozzarella. Dip tomato in olive oil and place on each bread slice. Bake uncovered at 400 degrees for approximately 30 minutes or until heated through. Tuck basil leaf slightly under each tomato. Let stand ten minutes to help set before slicing and serving.

Taco Hot Dish (Casserole)

I LOVE casseroles b/c you have everything all in one. No need to come up with you side dishes. No need for all the extra dishes, pots, and pans.

1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
1 pkg dry taco seasoning
1 (8 oz) bag Doritos, crushed
1 (12 oz) cottage cheese
1 (8 oz) sour cream
1/2 c sliced black olives
2 c shredded Monterey Jack
2 c shredded cheddar

Combine meat and onion in skillet. Drain. Add tomato sauce and taco mix. Stir well. Place crushed Doritos in bottom of a greased 9 X 13 pan. Top with meat. Combine sour cream and cottage cheese. Sppread over meat. Top with olives followed by the shredded cheeses. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes.

We served this with my corn casserole (recipe posted previously).

NOTE: I forgot the onion and don't think I'd add it next time. Also, I used fat free cottage cheese and fat free sour cream and it was fine. I know sometimes fat free things don't always work.

Ham & Scalloped Potatoes

I apologize for my lack of posts lately, but I haven't been cooking much now that the girls are in swimming lessons twice a week. Also, I tried a few new recipes that ended up not being "post worthy". Such a bummer!

This recipe comes from a fundraiser cookbook. What makes these ham & scalloped potatoes extra yummy is the shredded cheddar cheese in them.

4 large potatoes, peeled and sliced (thin)
3 T butter
1 tsp salt
1 c minced onion
1/2 tsp pepper
1 1/2 c milk
2 to 3 c ham, diced
1 med size bag cheddar cheese

Melt butter. Add onions and cook until tender.

Stir in flour, salt, pepper & milk.

Cook until thickened, stirring often. Remove from heat.

Grease casserole dish with cooking spray.

Place 1/3 of potatoes on bottom, then 1/3 ham, 1/3 sauce, & 1/3 cheese. Keep layering until all potatoes, ham, sauce, and cheese are used. Cover casserole dish with foil and bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees. Uncover dish and bake 15 to 20 minutes longer.


*Note: be sure to take the time to slice the potatoes thin. (Well, unless you like crunchy potatoes...)

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

This was a dish that someone brought to a church potluck. I sensed that my husband would like it, so I called her for the recipe.

flour tortillas (10)
2 cups shredded chicken (great recipe for using leftover chicken)
1 can Cream of Chicken soup
1/2 soup can of milk
Mexican Cheese blend (the kind with taco seasoning on the cheese)

*mix soup and milk
*in 9 X 13 pan, layer tortillas, chicken, soup, cheese, tortillas, chicken, soup, cheese
*bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes

Tonight's menu included this casserole, taco lasagna (previous post), fiesta rice (future post), watermelon, corn casserole (previous post) and Heath Blonde Brownies (previous post). It fed 5 adults and 3 children with some leftovers.

Taco Lasagna

When Derek was finishing up Vet school, my nephew was also living in the area so we often had him over for dinner. My sister (his mom) sent me a bunch of recipes for his favorites. This was one of them. One thing I like about it is that I can make it earlier in the day, and bake it just before it is time to eat.

1 pound ground beef
16 oz of tomato sauce
1 packet of taco seasoning
flour tortillas (10)
cheddar cheese

*brown meat & drain
*add taco seasoning and tomato sauce and simmer for 20 minutes
*in 9 X 13 pan, layer tortillas, meat, cheese, tortillas, meat, cheese

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes

Mashed Potatoes with Ham

This recipe came from "Taste of Home's Quick Cooking Annual Recipes 2001". The gal that submitted the recipe uses it as the main dish, not as a side dish. When it is just the four of us, I use it as the main dish. When we've had oodles of company, I've used it as a side dish. This is a great way to use up leftover mashed potatoes. It is a nice alternative to ham and scalloped potatoes.

1/2 c finely chopped onion
2 tbls. butter or margarine (divided)
3 1/2 to 4 c hot mashed potatoes (prepared with milk & butter)
1 1/2 c cubed fully cooked ham (you can buy ham already cubed to "Keep it Simple". Today, I am just cutting up a ham steak)
1/4 tsp onion salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/2 c shredded cheddar cheese
1/3 c crushed cornflakes (I've left these out in the past. Still delicious even without)

In a large microwave-safe bowl, combine onion and 1 tbls of butter. Microwave, uncovered, on high for 2 minutes or until tender, stirring once. Add potatoes, ham, onion salt, and pepper. Mix well. Transfer to a greased 1 1/2 qt baking dish. Sprinkle with cheese and cornflakes; dot with remaining butter. Bake, uncovered, at 375 degrees for 15 minutes or until heated through.

Poppy Seed Chicken

My friend Emily gave me this recipe. Someone brought it to her after one of her children was born. I thought it sounded odd, but I LOVE it. I just found out that my cholesterol is sky high (stupid genetics!) So tonight, I'm trying a low cholesterol version of it, although you wouldn't have to.

2 lbs chicken breasts cooked & cubed
1 can cream of chicken soup (today, I am using Campbell's Healthy Request)
8 oz sour cream (today, I am using fat free)
1 roll crushed Ritz crackers (today, I'm using whole wheat)
1/2 c butter or margarine melted (I'm using margarine)
1 T poppy seeds

Mix all ingredients together EXCEPT for the crackers and butter
put chicken mixture in 9 X 13 pan, sprayed with cooking spray
combine the butter with the crushed crackers & cover the casserole with cracker/butter mixture

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 min in a 9 X 13 pan

Serve over noodles, rice, or mashed potatoes (we serve over noodles, today "No Yolk" cholesterol free egg noodles)

(*NOTE: The Low Cholesterol version that I tried tonight was still good, but butter was much better and low fat sour cream may be a little better than fat free sour cream.)

Corn Casserole

This tastes just like Chi Chi's corn cakes. I use an ice cream scoop to serve it just like Chi Chi's did. Really simple side dish that goes great with tacos, fajitas, etc.

Combine and poor into casserole dish:

1 can corn (not drained)
1 can cream style corn
1 box Jiffy corn bread mix
1 stick of melted butter

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Spaghetti Casserole

This recipe is a little bit more involved than some, but I like that I can make it ahead of time and pop it in the oven at dinner time. That is how this recipe is "keeping it simple" (the do-ahead factor!)

1 lb. ground round
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
3 (8 oz) cans of tomato sauce with garlic (or plain and add some garlic)
1/3 c water
1 1/2 c low fat sour cream
1/2 c green onions
1/4 c (2 oz) of 1/3 less fat cream cheese, softened
7 oz box of ready cut spaghetti
5 oz shredded sharp cheddar

cook meat over medium heat until brown, drain

stir in salt, pepper, tomato sauce, & water. Bring to a boil & reduce heat. Simmer 20 minutes.

cook pasta (al dente since it will be baked later)

combine sour cream, cream cheese, & green onions

spray 9 X 13 glass pan

layer pasta, cream cheese mixture, meat/sauce, cheese

Bake 350 degrees covered with foil for 25 minutes.
Uncover and bake for 5 more minutes.

We serve with salad & garlic bread.

Love that it tastes great reheated too!