Easy Cheesy Chicken Bake

Okay, so I've totally been into casseroles lately. They're just easy and the kids seem to really like them. Plus, it kind of hides the veggies which makes them more likely to eat them. This is one of our favorites!

1 pkg. Stove Top stuffing mix for chicken
3-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts cubed and cooked
1 bag frozen broccoli florets, thawed and drained (I've also done them frozen and it turned out fine.)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup milk
1&1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Cook chicken and set aside.
3. Prepare stuffing mix.
4. Mix chicken and broccoli in baking dish. Stir in soup, milk and cheese, top with prepared stuffing.
5. Bake 30 min. or until heated through.

Sausage Souffle

Our family has this every Christmas morning for breakfast. Mmm, mmm good! You make it ahead and pretty much just stick it in the oven in the morning.

2 1/2 cups milk

2 cups grated cheese

8 slices of bread, cubed

3/4 tsp dried mustard

1 1/2 cup milk

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 1/2 lb sausage, browned

4 eggs, beaten

Butter a 9x13 pan, Add the following three ingredients: bread cubes, cheese, and sausage. DO NOT STIR.

Mix together 2 1/2 cups milk, mustard, and beaten eggs. Pour over bread, cheese, and sausage. Let stand over night in refrigerator.

Next day: Mix 1 1/2 cups milk and mushroom soup. Pour over top of mixture. Bake 1 1/2 hours at 300*. Bake covered with foil until last 15 minutes.

(It always seems to take longer than this to cook for me. I know longer at lower temps is better for this, but last time I made this, it took about 2 hours at 350*.)

Serves: about 12 (but keep in mind that you'll want seconds and the leftovers are great too!)

Mexican Lasagna

The recipe was given to me back in my Elem Ed days by my friend Jana. I like this meal because it's nice every once in a while to have a meal without meat. :)

In a frying pan add:

1/2 chopped onion

1 chopped green pepper

1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes

3/4 cup salsa

2 cloves garlic

2 tsp ground cumin

Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in two 15 oz cans of black beans (drained and rinsed). Lightly "pamize" 9x13 pan and layer the frying pan mix, tortillas (flour), and Monterrey Jack cheese. Bake at 350* for 35-40 minutes.

Can top after cooking with lettuce, tomatoes, and black olives.

I saw Rachael Ray make something similar once where she added ground beef and used flavored tortillas instead of flour.

Chicken Tetrazzini

8 oz spaghetti
1 TBSP butter
1.5 TBSP lemon juice
2 cups cooked and diced chicken
3 TBSP butter
3 TBSP flour
1/2 tsp paprika
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1.5 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2.5 cups chicken broth
1 cup milk
3/4 cup parmesan cheese
paprika

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare spaghetti according to package directions. Mix 1 TBSP butter and lemon juice with cooked spaghetti and chicken. Place in a 9x13 inch pan. Set aside. Melt 3 TBSP butter and stir in flour and spices. Add broth and stir until the sauce thickens; add milk. Pour the sauce over the noodles and sprinkle with parmesan cheese and paprika. Bake for 25 minutes or until browned and bubbly. Let sit for about 15 minutes before serving.

Shepherd's Pie

My husband kindly refers to shepherd's pie as "shepherd's poop." This is one pie, however, that he loves. It has great flavor and no tomato sauce.

1.5 lbs ground beef
1/2 cup brown gravy
1 TBSP A1 steak sauce
1 TBSP worcestershire sauce

Brown the beef and drain. Add the gravy, steak sauce and worcestershire. Put into greased casserole dish. Layer on top:

1 cup frozen corn
1 cup frozen peas
3 cups mashed potatoes

Shred cheese on top and bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes.

Tuna Casserole

I have always hated tuna casserole and tried many until I finally found this one and fell in love. We make if often.

8 oz. macaroni noodles (I also use bowtie, penne, whatever I have on hand)

2 (10 oz) cans cream of celery soup

2/3 cup milk

1/2 cup mayo

1 tsp. mustard

1 cup shredded cheese

2 cans tuna, drained

1/2 cup bread crumbs

1 tsp. paprika

Cook the noddles as directed on package. Mix the next 6 ingredients together in a bowl. Add the noodles. Put into casserole dish. Sprinkle bread crumbs and paprika on top. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.

**I usually put less mayo and cheese in (like half the amount) to make it more figure-friendly.

Corn Tortilla Chicken Lasagna

18 corn tortilla's (6 inch)
3 cups cubed cooked chicken breast
1 can (28 oz) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
24 oz salsa (usually 1 1/2 jars)
1 1/2 cups sour cream
1 large green pepper, chopped
2 (3.8 oz) sliced ripe olives, drained
1 1/2 cups Montery Jack cheese, shredded
1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded

Grease 9X13 baking dish. Arrange 6 tortillas. Top with 1 cup chicken, 2/3 cup kidney beans, 1 cup salsa, 1/2 cup sour cream, 1/2 cup green pepper, about 1/3 cup olives, 1/2 cup both cheeses. Repeat layers twice.
Cover and bake at 350 for 25 minutes. Uncover: bake 10-15 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Yield:12 servings.

We top it with pico de gaio or guacamole.

Poppyseed Chicken

***Sorry, no photo. I will start using my camera from now on!***

I had this many times in college. It is a recipe from an old roommate. I made it again a few days ago and still love it the same.

RECIPE:
2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
1 T. poppyseeds
1 package ritz crackers
1 stick of butter
a splash of lemon juice

Mix chicken, cream of chicken soup, sour cream, poppyseed, lemon juice in a bowl. Spread into a 9x9 inch pan. Melt butter, mix in crushed Ritz crackers and sprinkle on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

***I used nonfat sour cream and reduced fat Ritz crackers. The best nonfat sour cream comes in a black and white cow-looking container. This only feeds 2-4 people, so you may want to double it.

Enchilada Ravioli Casserole

**Tonight I tried this recipe from my friend Hayley. It's basically a quick enchilada casserole with ravioli instead of tortillas. I really liked the flavor combination of the taco sauce, cumin, and cilantro.**

Click here for the recipe.