Crazy Pizza

Guess what?! My kids LOVED this dinner!!! That has not happened in a looong time, so it was exciting :-). It is no surprise though, this is basically pizza in a casserole form...what's not to love. It is not gluten-free so I ate leftovers instead but the rest of the family ate up their crazy pizza so fast I couldn't believe it! Thanks taste buds for the super easy and fun recipe!

(I doubled it and baked in a 9x13 pan)
Ingredients:
8 oz extra lean ground beef or turkey
1 3/4 cup pizza sauce (I used a jar of spaghetti sauce)
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup sliced ripe olives (I left out)
1 can Pillsbury refrigerated buttermilk biscuits - 7.5 oz can
2/3 cup grated mozzarella cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8x8 inch baking dish with cooking spray. In a large skillet brown meat. Add mushrooms, green pepper, onion and olives (I chopped mine super small in a food processor first). Mix well to combine. Stir in pizza sauce. Remove skillet from heat. Separate biscuits and cut each biscuit into 4 pieces. Gently stir biscuit pieces into meat mixture. Pour mixture into prepared baking dish. Bake 20 minutes. Sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the top. Continue baking until cheese melts, about 10 minutes. Place baking dish on a wire rack and let set 5 minutes.

Broccoli & Cheese Quinoa Casserole

I added this recipe to our menu for the week the instant I saw it on Fabulously Delicious! I LOVE cheesy, broccoli dishes and we haven't had anything like that in awhile since we have been trying to eat healthier. But guess what?! This one isn't bad for you and it is still cheesy and delicious!!! So definitely try it, you will be glad you did!

Ingredients:
One 10 oz can condensed Cream of Broccoli or Mushroom soup (I used 98% FF)
1/3 cup reduced fat mayonnaise
2 tablespoons milk
1 1/4 cups reduced fat shredded cheese (cheddar, colby-jack, etc)
1/2 teaspoon Splenda
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Dash freshly grated nutmeg
(I added 1 medium onion diced and browned in a dash of olive oil)
(I aso added one can of chicken)
2 cups cooked broccoli
1 1/2 cups COOKED quinoa (3/4 c quinoa and 1 1/2 c water to cook it)

Directions:
In a small saucepan combine the quinoa, water, and salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and cover. Cook for 18-20 minutes, or until fluffy and the white ring/tail is visible. Fluff with a fork.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and coat a shallow (8×8 in or 5-6 cups) casserole dish – or individual ramekins – with vegetable cooking spray.
In a large bowl combine the soup, mayonnaise, milk, shredded cheese, Splenda, pepper, and nutmeg until well mixed. Stir in the quinoa and broccoli.
Spoon mixture into prepared casserole and bake for 35-40 minutes (20-25 minutes for ramekins) or until bubbly on the edges and golden. Makes 8 generous 1/2-cup servings.

Per Serving: Calories 199, Protein 10 g; Fat 9 g; NET Carbs 14 g; Fiber 2 g; Sugar 1 g; Sodium 297 mg

*NOTE FOR GLUTEN FREE…Progresso makes a Creamy Mushroom Soup that is gluten free…or here is a recipe for a Cream of Anything Soup. 

Condensed “Cream of Anything” Soup
1 cup cold milk
2 Tbsp cornstarch
1 1/2 Tbsp butter
1 tsp chicken bouillon
1/2 tsp salt
dash of pepper
Instructions
In a small saucepan, whisk milk and cornstarch till well blended.
Stir in butter, bouillon, salt, and pepper.
Heat to a boil, stirring frequently. Simmer on low for one minute more to thicken.
Use in recipes to replace one can of cream of anything soup.
CONDENSED CREAM OF MUSHROOM SOUP:
Stir in a drained 4 ounce can of mushroom pieces to the recipe above.
Use in recipes in place of one can of Cream of Mushroom Soup.
CONDENSED CREAM OF CHICKEN SOUP:
Stir in 1/2 cup cooked chicken pieces to the recipe above.
Use in recipes in place of one can of Cream of Chicken Soup.
CONDENSED CREAM OF CELERY SOUP
Stir in 1/2 cup sautéed chopped celery to the recipe above.
Use in recipes in place of one can of Cream of Celery Soup

Quinoa Mac n' Cheese Casserole

I added the 'casserole' to the name because you bake it and it's not quite as creamy as typical mac n' cheese BUT it IS delicious! I made this for myself to have on hand for lunches one week after seeing a link to it on The Daily Dish. The recipe originally comes from Monica Nelson Fitness and I really loved it. It is filling and savory and perfect for lunch. I love having something yummy in the fridge ready for me at lunch time when I am super hungry!

Ingredients:
* 2 tsp olive oil
* 1 med. leek white and pale green parts halved and sliced (1 cup)(I used green onions)
* 1/2 cup diced tomato, or red/green pepper
* 1 1/2 cups quinoa, rinsed and drained
* good pinch of salt
* a few grinds of seasoning salt
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 2 large eggs
* 1 cup soy milk, non-fat milk, or milk of choice
* 1 1/2 cups grated Cheddar cheese, more for sprinkling
* Optional- Crushed Red Pepper, Panko Bread crumbs for topping
* Toppings (optional)- salsa, hot sauce, sour cream, scallions

Directions:
1. Heat oil in med. saucepan over med. heat. Add leek and tomatoes (or bell peppers-or any veggies you want really); cover and cook 5 mins or until tender. Stir in quinoa and garlic, and cook, uncovered, 3-4 mins, or until grains start to turn opaque. (They will not fully be cooked yet.)
2. Add 3 cups water and season with salt and the Seasoning Salt (I used Goya). Cover and reduce heat to med-low and simmer 5-10 more, or until most liquid has been absorbed. Remove from heat and let stand 5 mins.
3. Preheat oven to 350 F. Coat 13x9 inch dish with cooking spray. Whisk together eggs and milk in large bowl. Fold in quinoa mixture and cheese. Stir very well and let some of the cheese melt. Transfer to prepared baking dish and if using Panko Crumbs or Bread crumbs add now and bake 30-35 mins, (or until browned around edges.)
4. Now you can toss with many toppings, some ideas: salsa, scallions, sour cream, and hot sauce! I serve with a side of steamed broccoli or a salad and a nice slice of good hearty bread.
*divided into 6 servings, it is 339 calories per serving*

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

A couple weeks ago when I was at Sams Club I saw the Cooking Light Best One-Dish meals special edition magazine and I couldn't resist it. I have marked probably 3/4 of the recipes to try and this was the first one I actaully made. It was super flavorful, pretty spicy and warm and cheesy like I love...but without all the guilt :). I can't wait to try more!

Ingredients:
* 4 bone-in chicken thighs, skinned (I used 1 can chicken)
* 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided
* 1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
* 1/3 cup (3 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
* 1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
* 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
* 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
* 2 cups chopped onion, divided
* 6 garlic cloves, minced and divided
* 1 cup fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
* 2/3 cup salsa verde
* 1/4 cup water
* 2 tablespoons chopped pickled jalapeño pepper
* 9 (6-inch) corn tortillas
* 1/4 cup (1 ounce) shredded sharp cheddar cheese (I used 2%)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 425°.
2. Heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add chicken to pan; sauté 4 minutes on each side. Place skillet in oven; bake at 425° for 10 minutes or until done. Remove chicken from pan; let stand 15 minutes. Remove meat from bones; shred. Discard bones. Place chicken in a medium bowl. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons cilantro, corn, and next 5 ingredients (through black pepper) to chicken; toss to combine.
3. Return pan to medium-high heat. Add 1/2 cup onion; sauté 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 3 garlic cloves; sauté 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add onion mixture to chicken mixture; stir to combine.
4. Combine remaining 1 1/2 cups onion, remaining 3 garlic cloves, broth, salsa, 1/4 cup water, and jalapeño in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; let stand 10 minutes. Carefully pour mixture into a blender; add 2 tablespoons cilantro. Process until smooth.
5. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tortillas; cook 1 1/2 minutes on each side. Remove tortillas from pan; repeat procedure with remaining tortillas. Cut tortillas into quarters.
6. Spread 1/2 cup salsa mixture in the bottom of an 8-inch square glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange 12 tortilla quarters over salsa mixture. Spoon half of chicken mixture over tortillas. Repeat layers, ending with tortillas. Pour remaining salsa mixture over tortillas; sprinkle evenly with cheddar cheese. Bake at 425° for 15 minutes or until bubbly and lightly browned. Top with remaining cilantro.

Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups * Calories: 371 * Fat: 12.4g * Saturated fat: 5g * Protein: 23.1g * Carbohydrate: 45.3g * Fiber: 5.4g * Cholesterol: 80mg * Sodium: 759mg

Brown Rice and Black Bean Casserole

(the end of my busy picture season is wrapping up so I'll hopefully be back to more frequent posting soon!)
This is a perfect meal for fall and winter! It's has the cheesiness I love in casseroles, but without the guilt because of all the added veggies and lowfat cheese. I saw this recipe on Peachtree Cooking and luckily I loved it enough to eat it for lunch and dinner for days in a row...the rest of my family were not fans :-). I would still make it again though! I think I would use a low-fat cheddar on top that melts a little easier and just use the swiss mixed in with the casserole itself.

Ingredients:
1/3 cup brown rice
1 cup vegetable broth (I used chicken broth)
1 Tbs. olive oil
1/3 cup onion, diced
1 medium zucchini, chopped or thinly sliced
2 chicken breasts, cooked and diced (I used 1 can chicken)
3/4 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 tsp. cumin
Salt, to taste
Cayenne Pepper, to taste
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (4 oz.) can green chilies
1/3 cup carrots, chopped small
2 cups shredded swiss cheese (I used 2% swiss slices and shredded them)

Directions:Mix the rice and chicken broth in pot on stovetop, bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 45 minutes, or until rice is tender. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a medium-sized casserole dish (I used 9x9). Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat and cook the onion until tender. Mix in the zucchini, chicken, and mushrooms. Season with cumin, salt and cayenne pepper. Cook and stir until zucchini is lightly browned and chicken is heated through. In a large bowl, mix the rice, onion, zucchini, chicken, mushrooms, beans, chilies, carrots, and half of the swiss cheese. Transfer to the baking dish and sprinkle remaining cheese on top. Cover casserole dish loosely with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 more minutes, or until bubbly and lightly browned.

Chicken and Black Bean Enchiladas

I made these into an enchilada casserole since I was using corn tortillas (they are small and I figured they would just fall apart anyway), but I really loved that everything was in one dish...including the beans and rice. The original "recipe" is below and came from Jamie's Cookbook. Preston had THREE helpings of it...they were small, but still, that is success in my book!

Ingredients:
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups chicken breast, cooked and shredded (I used 1 can chicken)
8 oz pepper-jack cheese, shredded (I used 2% cheese)
2 cups COOKED white or brown rice (I had leftover onion rice and used that)
10 flour tortillas (I used about 15 corn tortillas)
1 red onion, chopped
(I also added chopped cilantro!)
28 oz medium green chile enchilada sauce (I didn't use the entire can)

Note from Jamie: this is more of an ingredient list with approximations of amount than an exact recipe; how much you need will vary by how much of each ingredient you use in each tortilla. You can sprinkle any extra cheese and onions on top. Or if I use too much cheese in each, I add some cheddar cheese or a jack cheese blend on top.

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Layer rice, beans, chicken, onions and cheese in each tortilla and roll. Pour enchilada sauce over tortillas. Bake at least 30 minutes, until hot and bubbly. In my opinion, the longer the better because the onions get tastier the longer they cook.
(I put a little sauce in the bottom of 9x13 dish and then tore up corn tortillas to cover the bottom. Then layered rice, beans, chicken, onions, cilantro, cheese and a little sauce. Tore up more tortillas and repeated. One last layer of tortillas and then poured sauce to cover and baked for 45 minutes.)

French Toast Casserole

This recipe came along with some coupons from one of my favorite local grocery stores, Kroger. In their description they say it is "perfect for Easter" so I've been hanging on to it for awhile :-). I decided to make it for our breakfast this General Conference Sunday and it was a HUGE hit with the family. I have been doing a lot better at sticking to my gluten-free diet, so I only tried a little bite, but the kids and Mike ate ALL the rest of the 9x13 pan. That definitely says something about how good it is!!! I really loved that you make it they day before you will be serving it and then just pop it in the oven the next day.

Ingredients:
2 t butter, softened
8 slices white bread, cut in 1-inch cubes
7 large eggs
2 cups milk
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup maple syrup (I used our cheap sugar-free syrup)
4 T granulated sugar, divided
3/4 t cinnamon
1/4 t nutmeg
1/4 t cardamom (I didn't have this)
1/2 c toasted pecans, chopped
maple syrup, for serving

Directions:
Grease a 9x13 baking dish with butter and fill the dish with bread cubes, distributing evenly.
In large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, cream, maple syrup, 2 T sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom.
Pour this mixture over the bread cubes, and press down over the surface of the casserole with a spatula to help the bread soak up the liquid.
Sprinkle the top with the remaining sugar.
Cover tightly with aluminum foil, and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and place the casserole, still covered with foil, in the oven for 30 minutes.
Uncover, and bake an additional 30-35 minutes, until the casserole if puffy and brown.
Let cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing into squares and topping with the chopped pecans and warmed maple syrup.
Refrigerate all leftovers.

Spicy Sausage Sheperd's Pie

I've been seeing all kinds of interesting twists on shepherd's pie recently and I love it! This one was in the last issue of Rachael Ray and I was drawn to it because they had a pretty picture and by looking at the ingredients I knew Mike would like it (and I do try to pick one thing a week that I know for sure he will be excited about :-). We both LOVED this...the kids not so much. The spicy sausage and cabbage combined to create a great flavor that was both surprising and delicious. The other great thing was that you don't have to bake it (just broil it a few minutes) so it keeps your kitchen relatively cool in the summer. Definitely a keeper!

Ingredients:
* 8 baking potatoes (2 1/2 pounds), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (I used red with skins on)
* 2 cups chicken broth
* 6 tablespoons heavy cream (I used whole milk)
* Salt and pepper
* 1 pound hot italian sausage, casings removed
* 1/2 head green cabbage, cored and thinly sliced
* 1 onion, chopped
* 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
* 1 tablespoon jarred horseradish
* 1/2 bunch flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Directions:
1. Preheat the broiler. In a pot, combine the potatoes and enough salted water to cover by 1 inch. Cover and bring to a boil, then uncover and cook until fork-tender, about 10 minutes; drain. Mash in 1/2 cup chicken broth and the cream; season with salt and pepper.
2. Meanwhile, in a large, ovenproof skillet, cook the sausage over medium-high heat, breaking it up, until browned, 5 to 7 minutes; using a slotted spoon, transfer the sausage to a bowl. Add the cabbage, onion and garlic to the pan, season with salt and pepper and cook until golden, about 5 minutes. Stir in the remaining 1 1/2 cups chicken broth and the horseradish. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer until the liquid is reduced, about 10 minutes. Stir in the cooked sausage and the parsley, reserving 1 teaspoon for sprinkling.
3. Spoon the mashed potatoes onto the sausage mixture and broil until the potatoes are golden, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with the reserved parsley.

Curried Chicken Sheperd's Pie

This recipe was in the June/July issue of Taste of Home and was really great! I love sheperd's pie and also love chicken and curry so this recipe had me curious. It ended up being super tasty and a nice easy meal to make too!

Ingredients:

* 1 large onion, chopped
* 2 celery ribs, chopped
* 3 tablespoons butter, divided
* 1 cup frozen peas and carrots (I used 2 carrots diced instead)
* 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon curry powder
* 1-1/2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
* 1/2 cup 2% milk
* 2 cups cubed cooked chicken
* 2 tablespoons dried parsley flakes
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon pepper
* 2 cups mashed potatoes (with added milk and butter)
* 1/4 teaspoon paprika

Directions:
* In a large skillet, saute onion and celery in 1 tablespoon butter until tender. Add frozen vegetables and remaining butter(I added diced fresh carrot in with onions and celery instead); cook 2 minutes longer.
* Stir in flour and curry powder until blended; gradually add broth and milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1 minute or until thickened. Add the chicken, parsley, salt and pepper.
* Transfer to a greased 2-qt. baking dish. Top with potatoes; sprinkle with paprika. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until heated through. Yield: 4 servings.

Marsala Chicken and Mushroom Casserole

This Rachael Ray recipe is my new favorite. I am in love with it and couldn't stop eating it :-)! I wish we had leftovers, because it is sounding awfully good again right about now. I made an extra dish for a friend, I didn't double the mushrooms and chicken (just divided the 10 oz between the 2 dishes and used 3 cups of chicken divided between the 2) but doubled everything else.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter
10 ounces sliced mushrooms
(I added 1 t minced garlic and 1/2 white onion, chopped)
1 1/2 tablespoons flour (or cornstarch)
1/2 cup marsala wine or white wine (I used marsala cooking wine)
1/2 cup heavy cream (next time I'll try using a FF version instead)
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
Salt and pepper
1 cup long-grain rice
2 packed cups coarsely chopped rotisserie chicken
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese

Directions:
1.Preheat the oven to 350°. In a large skillet, heat the butter over medium-high heat until just melted. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle the flour on top and stir in for 1 minute. Stir in the marsala and cream and simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Stir in 2 cups water, the parsley, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
2.In a greased 9-inch-by-13-inch casserole, spread the rice in an even layer; top with the chicken. Pour the mushroom gravy on top. Cover snugly with foil and bake until bubbly, about 35 minutes. Discard the foil, sprinkle the parmesan on top and bake for 5 minutes more.

Mexican Chicken Enchiladas

I found this recipe in the latest Season's Best recipe book from Pampered Chef (Fall/Winter 2009). I'm always up for an enchilada casserole and this one had me at cream cheese :-). It was VERY good. The next time I make it I am going to make this sauce from Pioneer Woman instead of using the canned kind and the meal will officially be one of my favorites!

Ingredients:
1/4 c lightly packed fresh cilantro leaves
1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese (I used 1/3 fat kind)
2 c shredded Monetery Jack cheese, divided
1 med onion, chopped
1 can (28 oz) enchilada sauce (make this, seriously! and I didn't use my whole can because it was getting to saucy)
12 corn tortillas
3 c diced or shredded cooked chicken (I used leftover rotisserie chicken)
(I added garlic too)

Directions:
-Chop cilantro. Place cream cheese in bowl and microwave until very soft. Add cilantro and 1 1/2 c of the MJ cheese; mix well.
-Chop onion; set aside. (I sauteed mine a little with some garlic and olive oil because I don't like onions that aren't cooked enough in my dishes)
-Spread 2/3 c enchilada sauce over bottom of dish (they tell you to use the Pampered Chef Deep Covered Baker, I don't have this so I used one of my dishes that holds 3 qts) and pour remaining sauce into a shallow dish.
- To assemble, dip 4 tortillas in sauce that is in the shallow bowl and arrange in bottom of dish, overlapping as necessary.
-Scoop half cream cheese mixture over tortillas and spread (I spread a small amount on each tortilla, and then dipped it in sauce to make the spreading easier). Top with 1 c chicken and 1/3 of the onion.
-Repeat same layers again (tortillas, cheese mixture, 1 c chicken, 1/3 onion).
-Dip remaining 4 tortillas in sauce and arrange over 2nd layer. Top with remaining chicken and onion. Pour remaining sauce over lasagna (I just barely covered it) and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 c. MJ cheese.
-They say to microwave, covered on high 12-15 minutes and let stand 10 minutes. I baked mine in the oven so I could cover it with foil at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes, until heated through and cheese is bubbly.

Chicken Spaghetti

This is the first recipe I am trying from my new Pioneer Woman cookbook (from my mom :-). I knew it would be delicious, because all her recipes are, but this one was actually not too fattening. Mike was quite skeptical, he's not much of a casserole guy, but he actually like it! I loved it!!! I couldn't help myself and went back for more.

(I halved the recipe for our little family)
Ingredients:
1 cut up fryer chicken (I used 2 breasts)
3 cups (16 oz) Dry Spaghetti, Broken Into Two Inch Pieces (I used gluten-free)
2 cans Cream Of Mushroom Soup (I used 98% FF)
2 1/2 cups Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese, divided
¼ cups Finely Diced Green Pepper
1 small white onion, finely diced
1 jar (4 Ounce) Diced Pimentos, Drained
2 cups Reserved Chicken Broth From Pot
1 teaspoon Lawry's Seasoned Salt
⅛ teaspoons (to 1/4 Teaspoon) Cayenne Pepper
Salt And Pepper, to taste

Directions:
Put chicken in large pot, cover with water and boil until cooked. Remove to cool and reserve 2 cups broth.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cook spaghetti in remaining chicken broth until al dente. Do not overcook.
When chicken is cooled, use fork to pull chicken apart into small pieces.
When spaghetti is cooked, combine with remaining ingredients except 1/2 c. of cheese.
Place mixture in casserole pan and top with remaining sharp cheddar.
Bake for 35-45 minutes, until bubbly.

Quesadilla Casserole

Excuse the bad picture, it was getting too dark outside for it to turn out well. Top reasons to make this meal...it is easy, it is cheap, it is meatless AND it is tasty. I have been eating it the past couple days for lunch and LOVE it. Thanks Rachael Ray :-).

Ingredients:
* 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
* 3/4 cup chopped onion
* One 29-ounce can black beans, drained, 1/2 cup liquid reserved
* 1 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels, thawed
* 1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley (I used cilantro)
* Five 10-inch flour tortillas (I used 8 corn tortillas)
* 8 ounces monterey jack cheese, shredded
* 1 cup store-bought green enchilada sauce

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400°. In a skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes. Add 1 1/2 cups black beans and mash into a chunky paste. Stir in the reserved liquid.
2. Grease a heavy, ovenproof skillet. In a bowl, combine the corn, parsley and remaining black beans. Place a tortilla in the skillet and spread with 1/3 cup mashed black bean mixture. Top with 2/3 cup corn-bean mixture and 1/2 cup cheese. Press to compress the layers. Repeat with the remaining tortillas, mashed black beans, corn-bean mixture and cheese. Bake until the cheese is melted and the casserole is heated through, about 30 minutes. Transfer to the broiler and cook for 1 minute. Serve with the enchilada sauce.
**I put a little enchilada sauce on the bottom of the dish instead of greasing it.

Cheesy Chicken and Corn Casserole

I found this recipe on Three on Food and thought it looked like something we would all like. I reduced the butter by A LOT and thought it was really good. Mike especially loved it...even with all the corn :-)!

Ingredients:
1 Box Yellow Rice (I used a 10oz. bag)
1 Stick Margarine (I used 2 T., 1 in rice and 1 for chicken)
1/2 onion, chopped
1 Can Cream Of Chicken Soup (I used 98% FF)
1-2 Cups shredded, cooked chicken (I used 1 breast because I'm getting low on my canned chicken)
1 can Whole Kernel Corn, drained
1 1/2 Cups Cheddar Cheese

Directions:
Cook rice according to package directions.
Fry your chicken in some butter and set aside (I seasoned with salt, pepper and garlic salt).
Saute your onion in the same skillet as the chicken bits.
Add rice and all other ingredients, except for 1/2 C of cheese, into a bowl and stir until well combined.
Spoon into casserole dish and top with remaining cheese.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 min, or until bubbly.

Layered Chicken and Black Bean Enchilada Casserole

This recipe comes from The Sisters' Cafe and I LOVED it. It was warm and gooey and delicious :-)! We served it with some Mexican Rice and called it a night. I loved that I didn't have to chop anything since I used the canned chicken...it was SUPER easy!

Ingredients:
2 cups diced chicken breast meat (I used one can chicken)
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground coriander (I didn't have but put a shake of chili powder and garlic salt in)
2 Tb chopped fresh cilantro
1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (4.5 oz) can diced green chili peppers, drained
1 (10 oz) can red enchilada sauce – MILD
8 (6 inch) corn tortillas
2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese
1 (8 oz) container low fat sour cream (I used FF)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375°. Heat a large skillet over medium heat, and spray with vegetable cooking spray. Sauté chicken with cumin and coriander until chicken is cooked through. Transfer to a medium bowl. Stir in the cilantro, black beans, and green chili peppers.
Spread half of the enchilada sauce over the bottom of an 11x7 inch baking dish. Place 4 tortillas over the sauce, overlapping if necessary. Spoon half of the chicken mixture over the tortillas, and sprinkle with half of the cheese and half of the sour cream.
Spoon the remaining enchilada sauce over the cheese, and make another layer of tortillas. Layer the remaining chicken mixture over the tortillas.
Cover dish with a lid or aluminum foil. Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven.
Remove the cover, and sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top and dot with sour cream. Continue cooking, uncovered, for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, or until cheese melts.
Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Poppy Seed Chicken (Freezer Meal)

This is another freezer meal recipe from 30 Day Gourmet. We were rushing to eat before heading out for Ella's kindergarten orientation so I didn't get a good picture of it, but I thought it was really good! This is what I made for the freezer swap we are having today. This has been my 3rd group and will be my last for awhile, but I'm really excited about having a little stash built up for after I have the baby in 6 weeks! I made some white rice and put this on top, but you could also cook up some extra egg noodles...it definitely could use the extra though and it makes the meal go further (we only ate about 1/2 of it).

(1 recipe=8 servings, in my opinion)
Ingredients:
- 5 oz. wide egg noodles
- 2 cans cream of chicken soup (21 oz)
- 1 1/2 c. chicken broth
- 16 oz. fat free sour cream
- 4 c. chicken cooked and cut into small pieces (I used 1 can chicken for each recipe, which is about 2 c.)
- 1/2 stick margarine, melted
- 1 1/2 c. Ritz crackers, crushed
- 2 T. poppy seeds

Assembly Directions:
-Cook noodles slightly less than package directions.
-Mix soup with broth, sour cream and chicken.
-Drain noodles and add to soup mixture.
-Combine crackers, poppy seeds and melted butter in a separate bowl.

Freezing and Cooking Directions:
-Label 2 bags for each person, one for chicken mixture and a small one for cracker topping.
-To serve: Thaw chicken mixture. Spread in 9x13 pan and stir (mixture will separate in freezing). Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Stir, add topping and bake 15 more minutes or until bubbly.

Cheesy Hash Brown Chili

I love chili, I love hashbrowns, AND I love cheese so I knew we couldn't go wrong with this Rachael Ray recipe! It's pretty much chili in a casserole format, with yummy cheesy potatoes on top...YUM!

Ingredients:
-2 T olive oil
-1 onion chopped (I only used 1/2)
-2 T chili powder
-2 t. ground cumin
-1/4 c. tomato paste
-1 lb. ground beef (I used 1/2 lb. ground turkey)
-salt and pepper
-1 (15 oz) can kidney beans, rinsed
-1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes
-1 lb. bag frozen shredded hash browns
-1 c. shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:
-In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over med heat. Add the onion, chili powder and cumin and cook, stirring, until onion is soft, about 5 min.
-Stir in the tomato paste. Add the beef and cook, breaking up the meat, for 5 min; season w/salt and pepper.
-Add the beans and the tomatoes with their juice and bring to a boil.
-Lower heat, partially cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes. Transfer to an 8x11 dish (I used 8x8).
-Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees.
-In a large bowl, combine the potatoes and cheese. Scatter the potato mixture over the chili.
-Place in oven and bake until potatoes are cooked through and chili is bubbling, about 35 min.

Tuna Macaroni

Ok, so I know some of you are cringing now (Mike included), but I actually like a tuna casserole every once in awhile...well, once a year, and this is the recipe I use. I must admit though, I made a batch of My Tortilla Soup to take to a friend yesterday as well and it was looking much better than this...it will probably be on our menu for next week :-)!

Ingredients:
-1 can chunk light tuna (I only buy albacore)
-2 c. macaroni, uncooked (I used 1 8 oz box of gluten free penne)
-1 can cream of celery soup (I used 98% FF)
-1 T. instant minced onion
-1 c. mixed veggies, cooked and drained
-1 1/4 c. shredded cheddar cheese (I used 2%)
-1 c. sour cream (I used FF)
-1/2 t. salt
-paprika

Directions:
-Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
-Drain tuna. Cook and drain macaroni.
-In a bowl mix noodles, tuna, soup, onion, veggies, sour cream, salt and 3/4 c. cheese.
-Pour into a greased 2 qt. baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and then paprika.
-Bake uncovered, 30 minutes or until heated through.

Chicken Enchiladas with Sour Cream Sauce (FREEZER MEAL)

So, this was my first attempt at making a freezer meal...and at making this large a quantity of food period! Here I am all ready to go and looking pregnant in my cute apron I got for Christmas from Kayley (photo courtesy of Ella). The recipes our group is using all coming from 30 Day Gourmet and are nice because they multiply out the ingredients for you based on the number of recipes you are making. I will post the ingredients for 1 recipe of this meal (6 servings), but keep in mind I was making EIGHT recipes worth at once!
I decided to prepare my meals on Sunday evening since Mike makes our family dinner that night and I wouldn't have to cook twice. We had all the ingredients ready to go (I did realize after taking this picture and luckily before starting that the sauce recipe made 10 servings per recipe, not 6, and I therefore had an extra gallon of milk...but it is still a lot of stuff). From start to finish it took me a little over 4 hours, but considering that will equal 8 different meals in the end, it's not too bad. The cost for my ingredients was $50 but I'm hoping it is one of the more expensive meals due to the number of ingredients required. We'll see next week when we get together to trade meals and share the costs.
Overall the meal was fine, not the best enchiladas I've had, but not bad either. Here are my tips for when you make them at home...
*If you use corn tortillas, tear them in pieces in the casserole dish, don't roll them. Mine dissolved because the sauce is so liquidy. And use 15 maybe instead of 12.
*Top with cheese. There is a lot of cheese in the filling, but I didn't feel like you could taste it all that much.
*I had extra filling and extra sauce, so you could make more than 12 enchiladas if you wanted.

INGREDIENTS: (1 recipe makes 6 servings)
- 1/2 c. diced onion
- 1/2 c. diced green pepper
- 1/2 t. minced garlic
- 2 c. chicken, cooked and cubed (after being at 3 different grocery stores and pricing their chicken I decided to go with my trusty canned Costco chicken. I used all 6 cans in 1 pack, which cost $10.99 and saved me a lot of work too)
- 3 c. fat free white sauce, divided (recipe below)
- 1 14 oz. can diced tomatoes, drained (I used Rotel b/c they were on sale)
- 1 4 oz. can diced green chilies, divided
- 1/2 t. chili powder
- 1/4 t. black pepper
- 1/4 t. crushed red pepper (I left this out b/c I knew the Rotel and pepper jack cheese would add a kick already and didn't know how sensitive the rest of our group was)
- 1 c. fat free mozzarella cheese (I used 2% cheddar b/c it was on sale)
- 1/2 c. pepper jack cheese
- 1 c. reduced fat sour cream
**On Hand: 12 6-inch corn tortillas** (which means I don't freeze that as part of my meal, but write in on the bags so people will know they need those when they go to defrost and make this one)

DIRECTIONS:
-Saute onion, pepper and garlic in some water and butter in large skillet 5 minutes, or until tender.
-Remove from heat, stir in chicken, 1/3 of the white sauce (1 c. per recipe), diced tomatoes, 1/2 of green chilies (2 oz per recipe), chili powder, black pepper, crushed red pepper and cheeses.
-In separate bowl, combine the remaining white sauce (2 c. per recipe), with remaining green chilies and the sour cream to make sour cream sauce.

WHITE SAUCE INGREDIENTS: (1 recipe makes 10 servings)
-3/4 c. flour
-6 c. skim milk
-2 T. chicken bouillon granules

Directions: (I did it over the stove, but the directions are for the microwave)
-Warm up 2 c. milk for 60-90 seconds. Then stir the flour and broth flavoring into the warm milk.
-Microwave for about 60-90 seconds again until the mixture is bubbly.
-Add 2 c. of the milk for 2 minutes.
-Add 2 more c. milk for 2 minutes.

FREEZING DIRECTIONS:
**Before filling freezer bag, write serving directions on it for others. We decided to also write the person's name and the recipe title facing out on the edge, so when the meals are stacked in the freezer we can easily flip through and pick one out.**
-Place the chicken mixture in a gallon freezer bag or in a rigid freezer container.
-Place the sour cream sauce in a quart freezer bag. Seal, label and freeze.

SERVING DIRECTIONS:(what you write on bag)
**On hand: 12 corn tortillas
-Thaw in refrigerator or microwave.
-Coat a 9x13 pan with cooking spray.
-Divide the chicken mixture evenly between the tortillas.
-Roll them up and place in pan.
-Stir the sour cream sauce until thoroughly blended.
-Pour even over the enchiladas.
-Bake at 425 degrees for 20-25 minutes, until bubbly.

(I had a lot of extra sauce left, and again, would not suggest rolling the tortillas if you use corn.)

Mom's Overnight Egg Bake

This is the last recipe from Christmas I have to post. I actually made it for us for dinner last night because I had coupons for croutons and sausage and Mike really likes it. Thanks for the recipe Mom :-)!

Ingredients:
2 1/2 Cups Seasoned Croutons (1 normal sized box)
2 Cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese
1 Jimmy Dean Sausage Roll (we like spicy)
8 Eggs
3 Cups Milk, divided
1 Can Cream of Mushroom Soup (I used 98% FF)

Ingredients:
Grease 9 X 13 inch pan. Layer Croutons, cheese and cooked, drained sausage. Beat eggs and 2 1/2 cups milk. Pour over ingredients. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, Mix mushroom soup and remaining 1/2 cup milk. Pour over eggs. Bake, uncovered, at 300 degrees 1 1/2 hours, until brown.