Hashbrown Casserole

You may not know this about my husband... but the man can cook. He doesn't really LIKE to, but when push comes to shove he does alright by me in the kitchen. He has been dying for a hash brown casserole for years but I've never made one [I know, bad wife]. It's always seemed like so much food to make for just the two of us [heaven forbid I cut the recipe in half]. As Easter approached this year and I was still stuck on bed rest and nine months pregnant, the cooking was left up to him. I had pinned about ten versions of this recipe on Pinterest and he found one in the paper that sounded good so they all kind of got smooshed together into one pan of deliciousness. Ten points for the husband today... and not only did he make this casserole, he made me angel food cake as well. I married a good man.

Ingredients:

1 (32 oz.) shredded hash brown potatoes, thawed
16 oz. sour cream
2 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup melted butter
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 cups corn flakes, crushed
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium bowl, mix sour cream, soup, and salt and pepper together. Add in cheese and hash browns and mix well. Spoon into 9x13 baking dish.

Melt butter and add to corn flakes; mix. Spread cornflakes over top of hash brown mixture.

Bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes.

Mexican Lasagna

Ingredients:

1 bag Fritos
1/2 can refried beans, heated through
2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
1/2 jar of your favorite salsa
3 flour tortillas, torn into bite sized pieces
3 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend
1/4 cup ketchup
sour cream
prepared guacamole
shredded iceberg lettuce

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
In deep baking dish (9x12) layer Fritos and cover completely with refried beans.
In a medium bowl, mix chicken and salsa together and spread evenly over refried beans.
Layer tortilla pieces over chicken and drizzle with ketchup.
Top with cheese to cover.
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until heated through. Top with sour cream, guacamole, and shredded lettuce.

*This is my husbands creation, so all measurements are approximate but it's delish and you can't really mess this on up :) Add more cheese if you like or throw in tomatoes or onions...

All-American Chicken-Zucchini Casserole

Ingredients:

For zucchini mixture:
1 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2/3 cup dry basmati rice
8 cups chopped zucchini
1 cup diced onion
1/2 cup water
2 cloves garlic, minced

For the Cheddar mixture:
3 large eggs, beaten
1 1/4 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
3/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, divided
1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs, divided
1 tsp. dried Italian seasoning
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. hot sauce
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1 tbsp. EVOO
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into tenders

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9 x 13 baking dish with nonstick spray.

Bring broth to a boil in a small saucepan over high heat. Add rice, cover, and reduce heat to low simmer until liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes.

Combine zucchini, onion, water, and garlic in a large saucepan; cook, stirring occasionally over medium heat until zucchini is tender, about 15 minutes.

Stir together eggs, Cheddar, sour cream, milk, 1/4 cup Parmesan, 1/4 cup bread crumbs, Italian seasoning, 1 tsp. salt, hot sauce, and 1/4 tsp. pepper in a large bowl.

Add the cooked rice along with the zucchini mixture to the Cheddar mixture in the bowl. Spoon the combined mixture into the prepared baking dish.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Add chicken to skillet; saute until golden brown, 3-5 minutes on each side.

Arrange chicken on rice mixture in the baking dish. Combine remaining Parmesan and breadcrumbs - sprinkle over the chicken and rice in baking dish.

Bake casserole until bubbly, about 30 minutes. chicken is done with it reaches 165 degrees when tested with an instant read thermometer.

Creamy Mushroom and Chicken Casserole

Ingredients:

3 tbsp. butter
3 cups sliced baby portabello mushrooms
2 tbsp. flour
1/4 cup Marsala wine
1 cup heavy cream
chopped fresh parsley
salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup long grain white rice
2 cups cooked chicken breast (from a rotisserie chicken)
1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Melt butter in a large skillet, add mushrooms and cook until softened. Stir in flour, Marsala, and cream and cook until thickened. Stir in 2 cups of water and season with salt and pepper.

Sprinkle uncooked rice in a baking dish, top with chopped chicken and mushroom gravy. Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes.

Sprinkle with Parmesan.

Stefani's Pie

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 cup sliced mushrooms
2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
8 medium red potatoes
4 tbsp. butter
1/2 cup half-and-half (or heavy cream)
1/4 cup sour cream (or cream fresh if you have it)
Salt and pepper
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (or whatever you have on hand)

Directions:

Preheat oven 375 degrees.

Brown beef in a large skillet. Drain off excess grease. Add Worcestershire sauce, red pepper flakes, onions and mushroom and cook until just tender. Set aside.

Meanwhile, heat a large pot of salted water to boiling. Add potatoes and garlic; cook until fork tender. Drain and return to pot. Add butter, cream, and sour cream and mash until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

In a 13 x 9 inch baking dish spread the hamburger and mushroom mixture. Sprinkle with a layer of cheese. Spoon mashed potatoes over top of the cheese mixture.

Bake for 30 minutes or until mashed potatoes begin to brown. Serve with ketchup or gravy.

Slow Cooker Lasagna

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef
1 (28-oz.) jar spaghetti sauce
1 cup water
1 (15-oz.) container ricotta cheese
8 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1 egg
2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
6 lasagna noodles

Directions:

Brown meat in a large skillet; drain. Stir in spaghetti sauce and water. mix ricotta, 1 1/2 cups mozzarella, 2 tbsp. Parmesan, egg, and parsley.

Spoon 1 cup meat sauce into slow cooker; top with half each of the noodles, broken to fit, and cheese mixture. Cover with 2 cups of the remaining meat sauce. Top with remaining noodles, broken to fit, cheese mixture, and meat sauce. Cover with lid.

Cook on low for 4 to 6 hours or until liquid is absorbed. Sprinkle with remaining cheeses, let stand covered, 10 minutes or until melted.

Note: For best results, do not cook on the high heat setting.

Mexican Chicken Lasagna

I prepared this meal using the Deep Covered Baker from Pampered Chef. I love it because it makes it possible to make awesome meals in the microwave. This could easily be done in the oven as well, cooked at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until it's hot.

Ingredients:

1 pkg. cream cheese
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided
1 cup pepper jack cheese
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 (28-oz) enchilada sauce (I only used about half of this amount)
2 burrito size tortillas (flour or corn)
3 cups shredded, cooked chicken

Directions:

Place cream cheese in a microwave safe bowl and microwave on high for 30-45 seconds, until soft. Add 1 cup of the Monterey Jack cheese; mix well. Spread 2/3 of the enchilada sauce in the bottom of a baking dish. Pour remaining sauce into a 9-inch pie plate.

To assemble lasagna, dip one tortilla in the enchilada sauce and flip to coat both sides. Place tortilla in the baking dish (the edges may stick up a little). Spread half of the cream cheese mixture on the tortilla. Top with 1/2 of the chicken, 1/2 of the onion, and 1/2 of the remaining cheeses. Repeat these layers one time.

Microwave on high for 15 minutes or until center is hot. Let stand before serving.

Chicken Tetrazzini

Ingredients:

4 tbsp. butter
8 oz. sliced mushrooms
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 1/3 cups half and half
3 tbsp. sherry (or Marsala)
Salt and Pepper
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
3 cups cooked, shredded chicken
1/2 pound spaghetti, broken in half and cooked according to package directions
4 oz. sliced provolone cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In a large non-stick skillet melt butter over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms; saute 4 minutes or until browned. Sprinkle with flour and toss to combine. Add broth and half-and-half; cook, stirring often, until mixture comes to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in sherry, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Remove from heat and stir in the chicken and provolone. Combine chicken mixture with spaghetti; toss gently and spoon into a 13 x 9 - inch baking dish; sprinkle with cheese. Bake 20 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly.

Chicken-and-Spinach Tortilla Bake

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
Salt and Pepper
1 1/2 cups store bought salsa
1 cup ricotta cheese
2 large flour tortillas, cut into wedges
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups spinach
1 cup shredded pepper-jack cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Whisk together the salsa and ricotta; season with salt and pepper. In a greased 8x8 baking dish layer half the ricotta mixture, one of the tortillas, chicken, onions, and spinach. Top spinach with remainder of ricotta mixture. Sprinkle with pepper-jack cheese. Top with remaining tortilla and cover with mozzarella cheese. Bake, uncovered, for 25 minutes. Let stand before serving.

One-Dish Chicken Skillet

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups hot water
1/2 cup butter, divided
1 (6 oz.) pkg. of Stove Top stuffing mix
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup (cream of mushroom with garlic is even better!)
1/3 cup sour cream
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided

Directions:

Mix hot water, butter, and stuffing mix in a medium bowl.

Heat butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook 5 minutes on each side, or until browned.

Mix soup and sour cream; pour over chicken and stir to coat. Top with stuffing; cover. Cook on low heat until chicken is cook through (165 degrees). During the last 2 minutes of cooking, sprinkle with half the cheese. Cover and let cheese melt. Top with remaining cheese just before serving.

Sour Cream Taco Bake

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
1 cup sour cream
1 cup salsa (or more to taste)
1/2 lb. American cheese slices, torn into pieces
salt and pepper
3 large flour tortillas, torn into bite sized pieces
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Mix first 6 ingredients in a large bowl. Pour into a greased 8 x 8 glass baking dish and cover with foil. Bake for 30 minutes.

Remove foil and sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Bake an additional 10 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Tex-Mex Beef and Potatoes

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 1/2 oz. taco seasoning
1/2 cup water
4 cups frozen cubed Southern-style hash browns
1 1/2 cups frozen corn
8 oz. Velveeta Cheese Product, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup crumbled tortilla chips

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Brown meat with peppers and onions in a large skillet; drain. Return to skillet.

Stir in taco mix and water. Add potatoes, corn, and velveeta; mix well. Spoon into a 13 x 9 inch baking dish; cover.

Bake for 20 minutes; stir. Sprinkle with shredded cheddar and crushed tortilla chips and bake an additional 15 minutes or until heated through.

Cougar Gold Mac n Cheese Bake

Ingredients:

4 tbsp. butter
4 tbsp. flour
2 cups ½ and ½ at room temperature (whole milk or heavy cream would work too)
Dash of nutmeg
Salt and pepper, to taste
Hot sauce, to taste
2 cups sharp cheddar (I used Cougar Gold from the WSU Creamery - the BEST cheese ever!)
½ cup mozzarella
1 egg
8 oz. uncooked noodles of your choice

Bread Crumbs:
1/2 cup panko
3 tbsp. butter

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a large pot, bring 2 quarts of salted water to a boil for noodles. Cook noodles until just al dente (do NOT overcook or they'll turn to mush in the oven). Drain and set aside.

In a small saute pan, melt 3 tbsp. of butter. Add breadcrumbs and cook until just beginning to brown. Set aside.

Meanwhile, melt 4 tbsp. butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and whisk together until golden. Drop heat to medium-low and add in 1/2 and 1/2 and whisk constantly for the first 5 minutes. Keep the heat low or the milk will curdle. Add in nutmeg, salt and pepper, and hot sauce and check taste. Let it cook until sauce begins to thicken and coats the back of a wooden spoon. Add 3/4 of the cheese mixture and stir constantly to melt.

Once melted, pour over the drained pasta and mix well. Pour into a greased 8x8 glass baking dish. Top with remaining cheese and breadcrumbs. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden and bubbly. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Family Style Paella

1 tbsp. olive oil
1 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
1 cup finely chopped yellow onion
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 lb. kielbasa or polish sausage, cut into 1/2 inch slices
2 cups uncooked regular long grain rice
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. tumeric
2 cups chicken broth (low-sodium)
1 cup frozen peas
8 oz. can Italian style tomatoes; drained

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add chicken, sausage, onion, and bell pepper; cook for 12 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink and onions are transparent.

Add rice, salt, tumeric, and broth; mix well. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and cook 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add peas and tomatoes; stir gently to mix. Cover; cook an additional 8 - 12 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. (If rice is not done; add more liquid and continue cooking.)

**Traditional Paella calls for seafood as well as the chicken and sausage - you can add in almost any meat of your liking and still make this dish. I hear it's fantastic with shrimp or calamari (I wouldn't know...). ** It freezes and reheats well so make a bunch!

Derek's Thanksgiving Stuffing Remix

1/2 onion
2 stalks celery
1 carrot
1/2 loaf of day old french bread (torn into small pieces)
1 stick of butter, divided
fresh rosemary and sage
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup whole milk
1 1/2 cups chicken or turkey broth
8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

Preheat oven to 325 F.

In a food processor, mince onion, celery and carrot. In a medium saucepan, heat 1/2 stick of butter over medium heat. Add in minced onion, celery, carrot, rosemary, sage, salt and pepper. Stir to mix and cook until veggies soften, onions are clear, and all ingredients are combined.

In a large bowl, soak bread in milk and broth for three minutes. Add in veggie mixture and bacon; mix well. Transer to a casserole dish.

Bake for 45 minutes.

Becca's Awesome Meatloaf

2-3lbs ground beef
2 bags french onion soup mix (1 box)
garlic about 1/4 tsp, or to taste
2 eggs
2 cups of oatmeal
1 regular size bottle of catsup
Prepared mashed potatoes

Mix 1 cup of oatmeal, half of the bottle of catsup, 1 bag soup mix, 1 egg, 1/2 the garlic, and half of the beef together.

Line the mixture in a baking pan and bake at 350 degrees for about 15-20 mintues, or until done through.

Layer the potatoes in top of the cooked beef. Mix the remaining halves of ingredients and put them on top of the potatoes.

Drizzle the top of the final layer of meat with catsup and put it back into the oven until done, usually about another 20 mintues or so.

Cheesy Chicken Wraps

*This is one of the first homemade meals Derek made for me when we were living in Pullman... we still love it!!*

4 flour tortillas
1 lb. fajita chicken strips (or 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips)
4 cans cream of chicken with herbs
4 cup 4-cheese mexican mix

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Divide chicken evenly among tortillas; place down the center of each wrap. Pour ½ can of cream of chicken on chicken in each wrap. Top with cheese to taste.

To prepare baking pan pour 1 can of cream of chicken in to the pan and add ¼ can of milk, mix until the bottom of the pan is covered evenly. Sprinkle with cheese. Roll tortillas and place seam side down in baking pan, tuck under the ends of each wrap. Mix one can of cream of chicken with ¼ can milk and spread evenly over the tortillas. Cover with cheese. Cover pan loosely with foil and bake for 35 minutes.

Yields: 4 Servings

The Ultimate Mac-and-Cheese

The BEST homemade mac-n-cheese!!

3-4 slices hearty white sandwhich bread, torn into large pieces
8 tbsp. butter (1 stick) 4 tbsp. melted
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
salt
1 lb. elbow macaroni
5 tbsp. all purpose flour
3 (12-oz.) cans evaporated milk
2 tsp. hot sauce
⅛ tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. dry mustard
2 cups extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1¼ cups American cheese, shredded
¾ cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350°.

Pulse bread, melted butter, and Parmesan in food processor until ground to coarse crumbs. Transfer to bowl.

Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon of salt and macaroni to boiling water and cook 6 mintues. Reserve ½ cup of the macaroni cooking water, then drain and rinse macaroni in colander under cold running water. Set aside.

Melt remaining 4 tablespoons buter in now empty pot over medium-high heat until foaming. Stir in flour and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture turns light brown, about 1 minute. Slowly whisk in evaporated milk, hot sauce, nutmeg, mustard, and 2 teaspoons salt and cook until mixture begins to simmer and is slightly thickened, about 4 minutes. Off heat, whisk in cheese and reserved cooking water until cheese melts. Stir in macaroni until completely coated.

Transfer mixture to a 9 x 13 inch baking dish and top evenly with breadcrumb mixture. Bake until cheese is bubbling around the edges and top is golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Let sit for 5 mintues before serving.

Mashed Potatoe Casserole

2½ lb. yukon gold or russet potatoes, peeled and quartered
¾ cup reduced fat sour cream
½ stick (4 tbsp) butter
½ cup milk, heated
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. freshly ground pepper
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
½ cup chopped scallions

Have ready a 1½ quart shallow baking dish.

Boil potatoes in a large pot for 15 - 20 minutes or until soft when pierced with a fork. Drain; return to pot. Mash with a hand held mixer or potato masher.

Add sour cream, butter, hot milk, salt and pepper. Beat until blended and smooth. Stir in ¾ cup cheese and the chopped scallions.

Spread in ungreased baking dish. Cover tightly with foil. Bake 25 minutes, or until hot. Uncover; sprinkle with remaining cheese and bake until cheese melts.

Yields: 6 servings

Easy Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
½ cup sour cream
1 cup chicken broth
3 lb. red potatoes, thinly sliced
12 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
8 oz. shredded cheddar cheese, divived

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 13 x 9 inch baking dish with cooking spray.

Mix cream cheese, sour cream, and chicken broth in a large bowl until well blended. Add potatoes, bacon, and 1¾ cups of the cheese; stir gently to coat all ingredients. Spoon in to a prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining ¼ cup cheese.

Bake 1 hour or until heated through and potatoes are tender.

Yields: 15 servings

Time to make: 1 hr