Casserole Recipes

[calimojo]

I made this one up a few weeks ago and have numerous requests to repeat it. I didn't write everything down, so some of this is just a guess of what I did

Start with a box of froze Pierogis,, any flavor is fine. Fix them according to instructions. I usually saute them in a bit of butter or oil.

Remove from heat. In same skillet, add onions, carrots, celery, and any other fresh veggies you may have. The first time I did it I had cauliflower and some broccoli, this last time I had zucchini and green beans.

Saute them til tender, and the onions are caramelized a bit. Remove veggies from pan and Add fresh garlic, chicken broth, a splash of dry white whine, some half and half, some cream cheese and about 2 T of sour cream, S&P. Be generous with the amount of sauce if you like your casseroles moist. If not, use less sauce. Layer Veggies on bottom of baking dish. The a layer of cooked pierogi, then spoon sauce over top. Repeat layering until all pierogies are layered. Pour extra sauce on top, I sprinkled some cheese on top the first time, but not this time and I don't think it was better with or with out the cheese. Just whatever you prefer.

Oh, I forgot, I also added in chopped ham with my first time, and this time I added chopped cooked Roti Chicken. Basically I used what I had on hand. But you can go meatless too.

I am going to make this again, and this time I am going to do a "cheese burger version". This time I will use Cream of Mushroom soup, but I will add that to cooked ground beef with garlic/onions. Then I am going to layer the meat, sprinkle with bacon bits, and cheese and the the pierogi. This one will be heavier, and not as healthy but it sounds good to me to try.

I also make a yummy "Tamale" casserole using a corn bread mix. After trial and error, I have decided my favorite brand for this recipe is Martha Smith Sweet cornbread. It also happens to be the cheapest. You can make home made cornbread too, what ever you prefer.

I use ground turkey, but you could use beef, or even cooked shredded left over pork. I cook it in a skilled with Garlic/onions, cumin, chili powder. Cayenne and add a can of mild chiles. Then I add in a can of Rotel tomatoes. I use the original, but you can go mild or spicy. I think add some sour cream, and some cream cheese, and usually some black beans as well.

Then depending on how much filling you have or how many you want to serve. Mix up 1-2 of the Corn bread mixes. BUT use less liquid that the recipe calls for. you want it fairly thick. Then pour 1/2 of the cornbread batter into the bottom of your baking dish and back at 350 for about 7-10 minutes. You do this so that the filling doesn't just sink into the corn bread.

Remove the partially cooked cornbread and gently spoon on your filling. I top the filling with Shredded Cheddar Jack. Or, add the cheese the the remaining Corn Bread batter and make the top layer a cheesy corn bread.

Then spoon the rest of the corn bread on top of the filling and smooth it out to cover it completely. You can add more cheese to the top if you want, but you do not need to. Bake until cornbread if fully cooked.

Serve with Fresh guac or sour cream if desired.

You can adapt both of these recipes to be lower fat. I almost always use low fat sour cream, low fat cream cheese and use the leanest ground beef and or other protein I can find. I really pack in as many veggies as I can to make it healthier, and and you can vary the veggies based on what is in my fridge. The Pierogi casserole is heavier, so it definitely makes a stick to your ribs kind of meal. YOu definitely don't need any additional bread with that one. If anything, a side salad will do, or some fruit.

I have made the Tamale one meatless a few times just using a variety of beans. But to be honest, I think it needs the meat. Mainly for texture. The beans next to the cornbread just is not a good texture combo. But add in some meat and it stands up better.

And now I am hungry.

[calimojo]

And for a completely unhealthy casserole that is a sentimental favorite from my childhood, make a box of Kraft mac and Cheese, then add to it after you have mixed in the cheese/butter and milk, A can of Cream of Mushroom or onion soup. Then add 1 lb of cooked ground beef, mix this slop altogether, salt and pepper to taste, and pour into casserole dish. Cook for about 20 minutes at 350. Remove and generously top with French fried onion rings, or Crushed potato chips. I mean, at this point, your arteries are crying, but sometimes you just have to have that old comfort food from your youth. Return and back about 10 more minutes til onion rings are browned.

It is rather bland, but yet tasty at the same time. If it makes you feel better, you can add in something green, but I never mess with the gross perfection

[calimojo]

Another super easy one, that is actually somewhat healthy is broccoli and chicken. If you are in a super hurry, make it the less health way.

Take a box of frozen broccoli with cheese sauce and cook it as directed. Then add to it shredded cooked chicken and some cooked rice. More liquid is needed, so add a equal parts chicken broth and Milk, or you can add in cream of chicken soup. Put it in a pan and bake it. I do top it with some shredded cheese and/or bread crumbs.

To make it healthier, use fresh broccoli, and make your own cheese sauce. I really like a mix of gruyere, and mild cheddar. Or to go easier you can use low fat velveeta, but I hate velveeta, so I steer clear of it, unless I am being nice to my husband. He has a childhood fondness for all things Velveeta. So once in awhile I throw him a bone, made of Velveeta of course.

Anyway, make your cheese sauce with a roux and then milk and cheese Season as desired. If using Gruyere, I like a splash of dry white wine.

Toss steamed broccoli, with shredded chicken, Cooked brown rice, a small amount of crumbled bacon (optional), and the cheese sauce. Top with either buttered bread crumbs or more cheese, or a mix of both. Bake til cheese is melted or crumbs are golden.

[calimojo]

One more for now:, Disclaimer, not low fat, but low carb.

It is a chicken Cordon bleu casserole.

Take Roti chicken and shred it. Then add chopped honey or brown sugar baked deli ham on top of the chicken. Then add in chopped lightly steamed asparagus ( can sub in Spinach, Mushrooms, Broccoli, etc). Then top with good quality sliced swiss cheese.

Then make a homemade Bechamel (white) sauce, and season generously with salt/ Pepper paprika, garlic powder and a squeeze of lemon juice. Pour sauce over top of casserole and back until it is a big melty mess. If you want to stay low carb, just serve it as is. If you want a carb, serve along side a rice pilaf or pasta of choice. Or serve it with crusty bread and you can almost scoop it on top of the bread.

This is a fairly high fat dish, but it is tasty.

[Bethella]

This is a very simple recipe, relatively cheap, and a tiny bit tedious tho. But totally worth it.

So you grab your usual casserole dish that you use to feed the number of people in your household.

You bring some water to boiling and you semi!-cook one part of potatoes. You get rid of the water, let the tatoes cool off a bit, since you'll need to peel them. In the meantime, you boil one part eggs thoroughly, then put them aside to cool, too. Now, you need some really good, dark, perhaps smoked sausage, also one part. You peel and slice up the sausage, as well as the potatoes and the hard boiled eggs. You start building up your layered potatoes by placing one layer of sliced potatoes on the botto of your casserole dish. A layer of sliced eggs will follow. Then a layer of sausage. You repeat the procedure until you run out of ingredients. In the meantime, you might want to fry a few slices of sausage and use it's grease to spice up 3-4 cups of sour cream, along with some chopped schnidling. Pour it over top of your layered stuff and let it go down between the layers and spread it's goodness all over the food.

Then, you put it in the oven until the sour cream on top of food turns golden brown.

An absolute favorite.

What's schnidling? I've never heard of it.

[SamE]

Making tater tot casserole for supper tonight without meat - using cauliflower, broccoli, carrot mixture instead. My kids are mostly veg.....

[VGL]

Cheeseburger Casserole from Skinnytaste

http://www.skinnytaste.com/2013/03/chee ... erole.html

[beckerbuns]

Ours is a bit different. Hope you don't mind me sharing. :lol:

1 pound of extra wide egg noodles

1 can of cream of mushroom soup

1/2 C of milk

1 can of sliced olives

2 small cans or 1 large can of tuna in water, drained

bread crumbs, corn flakes, potato chips, or other desired topping.

Cook the noodles, drain and return to pan. Add soup and milk (may need more milk if you want it creamier) and stir. Stir in olives and tuna. Pour everything into a greased 13x9 casserole. Sprinkle topping. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until topping is browned in 350 degree oven.