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.

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.

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.