Southwest Tortellini Casserole

Ingredients:

• 1 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
• 9 -10 ounces refrigerated cheese tortellini, can use any type
• 1 (4 ounce) cans diced green chilies
• 1 (15 ounce) cans diced tomatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1 1/2 cups low-fat sour cream, can use regular
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 2 cups shredded monterey jack cheese
• 1/2 cup sliced black olives
• 3/4 cup chopped green onion

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease/spray a 1 1/2 qt casserole dish.

In a bowl, toss together the black beans, tortellini, green chilies, diced tomatoes and cumin. Mix well and pour into the prepared casserole dish.

In another bowl, stir together the sour cream, lime juice and sugar; evenly spread this over mixture in the casserole dish.

Evenly sprinkle with cheese, then olives, then green onions, then the cilantro.

Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Uncover and continue baking an additional 20-30 minutes until cheese is bubbly and lightly browned.

Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

King Ranch Casserole

 Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter 
• 1 yellow onion, chopped 
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped 
• 8 ounces button mushrooms, sliced 
• 4 cloves garlic, minced 
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder 
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 
• 1 teaspoon salt 
• 1 teaspoon black pepper 
• 1 cup all-purpose flour 
• 3 1/2 cups chicken stock 
• 1/2 cup heavy cream 
• 3 mild green chiles, roasted, peeled (stems and seeds discarded), and diced 
• 1 ten-ounce can Ro-Tel 
• 18 corn tortillas 
• 1 cooked chicken (poached or roasted), meat shredded 
• 1 cup shredded Jack cheese 
• 1 cup shredded cheddar 

Directions:
 
Melt the butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the vegetables and sauté on medium-low about 7 minutes. Stir in the chili powder, cayenne, salt, and pepper and cook for 1 minute. Sprinkle in flour, 1/2 cup at a time, and stir until the white is no longer visible. Whisk in 3 cups of the stock, 1 cup at a time, until smooth. Whisk in cream and stir in chiles and tomatoes. 

Preheat the oven to 350. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with butter. Pour remaining 1/2 cup of stock into a bowl. Stack the tortillas in the bowl, 6 at a time, to moisten, then line the bottom of the pan with the tortillas, making sure they overlap each other by about one third. Cover the tortillas with half the sauce. Add half the chicken and sprinkle with a third of the cheese. Add a second layer of soaked tortillas, the remaining sauce and chicken, and another third of the cheese. Top with the remaining tortillas and cheese. 

Bake for about an hour, until bubbling and lightly browned on top. Remove from the oven and let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Cheesy Bacon & Egg Casserole

Ingredients:

8 slices bacon

1 medium onion, chopped (1 cup)

1 loaf (8 ounces) Italian bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (5 cups)

2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Cheddar cheese

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1 cup cottage cheese

5 eggs

1 1/2 cups milk

1/2 teaspoon ground mustard

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Cook bacon in large skillet until crisp. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the drippings.

Drain bacon on paper towels; crumble and set aside. Add onion to drippings in skillet; cook and stir 3 minutes or until softened.

Spread 1/2 of the bread cubes in 13x9-inch baking dish. Layer with 1/2 each of the onion, bacon, Cheddar cheese and mozzarella cheese. Spread evenly with cottage cheese. Top with remaining bread cubes, onion, bacon, Cheddar cheese and mozzarella cheese.

Beat eggs in medium bowl until foamy. Add milk, mustard, nutmeg and pepper; beat until well blended. Pour evenly over top. Press bread cubes lightly into egg mixture until completely covered.

Let stand 10 minutes.

Bake 40 to 50 minutes or until center is set and top is golden brown.

Sausage Egg Biscuit Casserole

Ingredients:

• 1 lb ground pork sausage with sage, crumbled
• 1/2 cup red peppers, chopped
• 1/2 cup red onion, chopped
• 4 frozen pre-baked biscuits
• 10 eggs
• 1-1/4 cups of milk
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup frozen broccoli cuts, defrosted
• 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. In an 11'' oven-safe pan, sauté the pork sausage, peppers, and onions over medium-high heat for approximately 10 minutes, or until the sausage is fully cooked. Remove from heat.

Cut each biscuit into about 8 pieces and arrange evenly in the pan with the sausage, peppers, and onions.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs, milk, oregano, salt, and pepper until combined. Stir in the broccoli and cheese. Pour the mixture over the sausage, peppers, onions, and biscuits. Give the mixture a slight stir to disperse the ingredients, then press the biscuits down with the back of your spoon to cover them in the egg mixture.

Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and the center is set. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving

Three-Cheese Pasta Bake

Ingredients:

 

1 (16-ounce) package ziti
2 (10-ounce) containers refrigerated Alfredo sauce 
1 (8-ounce) container sour cream 
1 (15-ounce) container ricotta cheese
2 large eggs, lightly beaten 
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese
 

Directions:

 

Prepare ziti according to package directions; drain and return to pot.

Stir together Alfredo sauce and sour cream; toss with ziti until evenly coated 

Spoon half of mixture into a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish.
 

Stir together ricotta cheese and next 3 ingredients; spread evenly over pasta mixture in baking dish. Spoon remaining pasta mixture evenly over ricotta cheese layer; sprinkle evenly with mozzarella cheese.
 

Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until bubbly. 

Note: Ziti pasta is shaped in long, thin tubes; penne or rigatoni pasta may be substituted, if desired.

Pat Summitt's Jalapeno Corn Casserole

Ingredients:

4 cans of corn
1 stick of butter 8

8 ounces of cream cheese
1 jar of jalapeno peppers (or diced green chiles)

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Put the four cans of corn in a casserole dish, melt the margarine and cream cheese in the microwave. Stir and pour over the corn. Depending on how hot you want the dish, add peppers and juice accordingly. Stir and then put it in the oven for 40-45 minutes.

Fiesta Taco Casserole

Ingredients:

1  lb lean ground beef
1  can chili beans in sauce, undrained
1  cup salsa
2  cups coarsely broken tortilla chips
4  medium green onions, sliced (1/4 cup)
1  medium tomato, chopped (3/4 cup)
1  cup shredded Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese (4 oz)
Tortilla chips, if desired
Shredded lettuce, if desired
 

Directions:

Heat oven to 350°F. 

In 10-inch skillet, cook beef over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until brown; drain. Stir in beans and 1 cup salsa. Heat to boiling, stirring occasionally.

In un-greased 2-quart casserole, place broken tortilla chips. Top with beef mixture. Sprinkle with onions, tomato and cheese.

Bake uncovered 20 to 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Arrange tortilla chips around edge of casserole. Serve with lettuce and additional salsa.

Sloppy Joe Mac & Cheese Casserole

Ingredients:

1 (16 ounce) package elbow macaroni
1 pound lean ground beef
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1 (1.3 ounce) envelope Sloppy Joe seasoning mix
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground mustard
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 cups half-and-half cream
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
4 cups shredded Cheddar cheese, divided

Directions:

Cook macaroni according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste and sloppy joe mix. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Drain macaroni; set aside. In a large saucepan, saute onion in butter until tender. Stir in the flour, salt, mustard and pepper until smooth. Gradually add cream and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from the heat. Stir in 3 cups cheese until melted. Add macaroni; mix well.

Spread two-thirds of the macaroni mixture in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish. Spread beef mixture to within 2 in. of edges. Spoon remaining macaroni mixture around edges. Cover and bake at 375 degrees F for 30 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake 5-6 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

Chicken and Dumplings Casserole

Ingredients:

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped celery

1/4 cup butter, cubed

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon dried basil

1/2 teaspoon pepper

4 cups chicken broth

1 package (10 ounces) frozen green peas

4 cups cubed cooked chicken

Dumplings

2 cups biscuit/baking mix

2 teaspoons dried basil

2/3 cup 2% milk

Directions:

In a large saucepan, saute onion and celery in butter until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in the flour, sugar, salt, basil and pepper until blended. Gradually add broth; bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 1 minute or until thickened; reduce heat. Add peas and cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in chicken. Pour into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish.

For dumplings, in a small bowl, combine baking mix and basil. Stir in milk with a fork until moistened. Drop by tablespoonfuls into 12 mounds over chicken mixture.

Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 30 minutes. Cover and bake 10 minutes longer or until a toothpick inserted in a dumpling comes out clean.

Fried Chicken Florentine Casserole

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter
1 (5-ounce) package thinly sliced prosciutto, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups chicken broth
3 cups whole milk
4 cups chopped fried chicken (with crusted on)
2 cups shredded Gruyère cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 (9-ounce) package fresh baby spinach, stemmed
1 (16-ounce) package dumpling-style noodles, cooked according to package directions and kept warm

Garnish: grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350˚. Lightly grease a 3-quart baking dish.

In a large Dutch oven, melt 1/2 cup butter over medium heat. Add prosciutto and garlic, and cook, stirring frequently, for 3 to 4 minutes, or until prosciutto is crispy.

Stir in flour, and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add broth and milk, stirring until smooth. Bring to a simmer, and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, or until thickened. Stir in chicken, cheeses, salt, and pepper; stirring until cheeses melt. Stir in spinach and noodles.

Spoon mixture into prepared baking dish.Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until casserole is hot and bubbly. Garnish with Parmesan, if desired. Serve immediately.

Chicken Divan

Ingredients:

2 (10-ounce) packages frozen broccoli, chopped
6 cups shredded chicken, cooked
2 (10 3/4-ounce) cans condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream
1 cup grated sharp Cheddar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon curry powder
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1/2 cup soft bread crumbs
2 tablespoons butter, melted

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Remove the outer wrappers from the boxes of broccoli. Open 1 end of each box. 
Microwave on full power for 2 minutes, until thawed. Drain the broccoli and put into a casserole dish. Add the shredded chicken.

In a medium bowl, combine the soup, mayonnaise, sour cream, Cheddar, lemon juice, curry powder, salt and pepper, to taste, and wine. Whisk together to make a sauce. Pour the sauce over the broccoli and chicken. Mix well with a spatula.

Place the mixture into an 11 by 7-inch casserole dish or 2 (9-inch) square disposable aluminum foil pans that have been sprayed with vegetable oil cooking spray. Pat down evenly and smooth with a spatula. Combine the Parmesan, bread crumbs and butter and sprinkle over the top.

Bake for about 30 to 45 minutes.

Cook's Note: Try topping with Cheddar or Gruyere cheese.

Cheesy Squash Casserole

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
6 medium yellow summer squash, thinly sliced
1 large Vidalia onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar
1/2 cup sour cream
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 sleeve crackers, crushed medium to fine (recommended: Ritz)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 2-quart casserole dish.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute the squash, onion, and butter until soft. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the Parmesan, Cheddar, and sour cream. Add salt and pepper, to taste.

Place in the prepared casserole dish and sprinkle the cracker crumbs evenly over the top. Bake for 20 minutes or until the top is golden and bubbly.

Cheddar Chicken Spaghetti Casserole

Ingredients:

1 package (7 ounces) spaghetti, broken
2 cups cubed cooked chicken
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon diced pimientos, optional
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

Cook spaghetti according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large
bowl, combine the chicken, 1 cup cheese, soup, milk, pimientos if
desired, salt and pepper. Drain spaghetti; add to the chicken
mixture and toss to coat.

Transfer to a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Sprinkle with the
remaining cheese. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 20-25 minutes or
until heated through.

Burrito Casserole

Ingredients:

8 small (fajita-size) flour tortillas
2 cups refried beans
2 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 small red onion, diced
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 1/2 cups store bought salsa (medium for a spicier taste)
Optional: 1 minced fresh jalapeno pepper
1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut 5 of the flour tortillas into strips, about 1/2 inches in width and set aside. Line the bottom of a 9 by 13 casserole dish with the remaining flour tortillas. Spread an even layer of refried beans over the tortillas.

In a large skillet heat the canola oil over medium high heat. Add the onion and beef to the pan and sauté for about 5 minutes; breaking up the meat with a spoon, until it is no longer pink. Pour off and discard any excess liquid, stir in the salsa.

Spread meat mixture over the refried beans, sprinkle on optional jalapeno peppers. Top with tortilla strips and sprinkle on cheddar cheese. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven until cheese has melted, about 10 minutes. Serve with sour cream, chopped tomatoes, and chopped avocado on the side.

Baked Chicken Boudine

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked egg noodles
2 (10 3/4-ounce) cans cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup dry sherry
4 cups chopped cooked chicken
3 cups grated sharp cheese, your choice, divided
1 (2 1/4-ounce) package slivered almonds, toasted
1/4 cup drained, chopped pimentos
1 (4-ounce) can sliced mushrooms, drained
Salt and pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  In a large bowl, toss together the noodles, soup, broth, and sherry. Add the chicken, 2 cups of the cheese, the almonds, pimento, mushrooms, and salt and pepper, to taste, and toss gently to combine. Transfer the mixture to a greased 13 by 9 by 2-inch casserole and top with the remaining cup of cheese. Bake for 30 minutes, or until bubbly.

French Toast Strada With Chicken Sausage

Ingredients:

Room-temperature butter, for greasing the baking dish
1 loaf (3/4 pound) brioche or challah, cut into 2-inch-thick slices and halved crosswise
4 fully cooked chicken sausages (about 12 ounces total), thinly sliced
8 large eggs
2 1/2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup pure maple syrup, plus more for serving
1 teaspoon coarse salt 

Directions:

Butter a two-quart shallow baking dish; arrange bread slices in dish, overlapping slightly. Place sausage slices between bread slices.

In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, maple syrup, and salt until combined. Pour egg mixture over bread and sausage, pressing down on the bread to submerge it. Cover dish tightly with plastic wrap; refrigerate at least two hours (or up to overnight).

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Remove the plastic wrap and place the baking dish on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until the strata is puffed and set in center, about an hour and a half (tent with aluminum foil if it's browning too quickly). Let cool 10 minutes.

Tater Tot Casserole

Ingredients:

1 (10-ounce ) can cream of mushroom or chicken soup
1 cup milk
1/2 tablespoon of olive oil
1/2 cup of chopped Vidalia or other sweet onion
1/4 cup of chopped green bell pepper
1 pound of ground beef
1 teaspoon of minced garlic
1/2 pound of smoked sausage, chopped, optional
1 tablespoon of fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of paprika
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup of shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1 pound package of frozen tater tots

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter or spray a 9 x 9 inch casserole dish with non-stick spray; set aside. Whisk together the cream soup and milk until well blended; set aside.

Add olive oil to a large skillet and saute the onion and bell pepper until softened but not browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in the ground beef and brown; drain if needed and return to the skillet. Add the minced garlic, cook and stir another minute. Add in the chopped smoked sausage and cook about 3 minutes. Stir in the basil, thyme, paprika; taste and add salt and pepper only as needed. 

Transfer meat mixture to the prepared casserole dish and sprinkle with 1/4 cup of the cheddar cheese. Evenly pour the soup mixture over the top. Arrange the tater tots on top and bake uncovered at 350 for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until potatoes are nicely browned and crisp. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of shredded cheese on top and return to the oven just until cheese is melted.

Chicken Sour Cream Casserole

Ingredients:

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts baked and cubed
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 (10 ¾ ounce) can cream of chicken soup (mushroom can be substituted)
• 25 Ritz crackers
• ½ cup butter melted
• salt and pepper 

 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Boil chicken breast until tender; drain and cube.

Spread evenly over the bottom of a square casserole dish.

Salt and pepper to taste.

Mix sour cream and chicken soup in a separate bowl.

Spread the sour cream and soup mixture over the chicken in the casserole dish.

Crush the Ritz crackers and spread over top of the casserole.

Spoon melted butter on top over all.

Bake in a 350°F oven until top is golden brown, approximately 20-30 minutes.

Baconchiladas

Ingredients:

1 small onion, chopped (about a cup)
Vegetable oil - grapeseed or olive
2 small cloves garlic, minced 
1 14.5-ounce can tomatoes, preferably fire-roasted if you can get it 
2 Tbsp red chili powder 
1 teaspoon sugar 
1/2 cup to a cup of water 
12 corn tortillas 
Canola oil - a high smoke point vegetable oil 
2-3 cups of fried bacon, chopped 
Salt 
2 cups grated cheese (about 1/3 lb)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Prepare the sauce. Coat a large skillet with oil and sauté the onions on medium heat until translucent, a few minutes. Add the garlic for a minute more. While the onions are cooking, purée the canned tomatoes in a blender. Add the tomatoes to the onions and garlic. Bring to a low simmer. Start adding the chili powder, one teaspoon at a time, tasting after each addition, until you get to the desired level of heat and chili flavor. For us that's around 2 Tablespoons. But it depends on your taste and how strong the chili powder is that you are using. Note that the tortillas and chicken will absorb some of the heat, so allow for that and let it be a little bit spicier than what you want in the finished dish. Add a teaspoon of sugar if necessary to cut down on the acid from the tomatoes. You want more of the taste of the chili and less of the tomatoes for this sauce. As the sauce simmers, dilute it with water to keep it from getting too thick as it simmers. Remove from heat.

Alternatively, use a prepared canned enchilada sauce, which can be perfectly fine.

Mix in 1/4 cup of the sauce with the cooked chicken, and a 1/4 cup of the cheese. Sprinkle with a little salt. Set aside.

Prepare the tortillas. Heat a small light skillet on med-high heat. Add a teaspoon of oil to coat the pan. Dip a tortilla in the sauce to coat the tortilla with sauce on both sides. Place the tortilla in the skillet and heat for a few seconds, until the tortilla begin to show some air bubbles. Use a metal spatula to flip to the other side for a few more seconds. Set aside on a plate. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Proceed to next step.

Assemble the enchiladas. Use an 8x12 inch Pyrex baking dish. Place a couple spoonfuls of the chicken mixture in the center of a tortilla and roll it up. Place in the baking dish and repeat until all dozen of your tortillas are neatly placed in rows in the casserole dish. Cover the tortillas rolls with the remaining sauce.

Sprinkle with the remaining grated cheese.

Place in the oven and cook for 10 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly.

Use a metal spatula to serve.

Serve with thinly sliced iceberg lettuce that has been seasoned with vinegar and salt (no oil), guacamole or avocado slices, and