The Best Cheesy Broccoli and Rice Casserole (No canned Soup!)

 If you would like a really creamy, really cheesy Broccoli and Rice recipe, look no further. This awesome recipe is the best I've ever had, and there is absolutely no canned soup involved. I made it this week and my husband and I both loved it's creaminess, with lots of broccoli goodness and great cheese flavor too. I won't make any other, ever. In my early married years I made the old canned soup version, but it doesn't hold a candle to the real thing. I used to always serve Broccoli and Rice Casserole at Easter dinner, and sometimes for other holidays too. Broccoli is a great spring vegetable, even though it is readily available all year long now. I love it raw, in salads and in casseroles. It is my all time favorite veggie. Anyway, I hope you'll give this recipe a try; it's really delicious and addictive.

Cheesy Broccoli and Rice Casserole
Adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe (which she adapted from Cook's Country)

Ingredients:
For topping;
2/3 cup Panko bread crumbs
3 tablespoons melted butter
1/4 cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese
1 clove garlic, minced
For casserole;
2 pounds broccoli- (about 3-4 heads), florets cut into 1 inch pieces and stems chopped
2 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, finely diced
1 1/4 cups long grain white rice
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 1/4 cups half and half
3/4 teaspoon salt
about 1/4 teaspoon black pepper (subbed for 1/8 tea. cayenne pepper)
2 cups shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions:
1. Place oven rack in center position and preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish. In a small bowl combine the panko crumbs, melted butter, 1/2 cup grated Parmesan and garlic. Set aside.
2. Microwave broccoli florets (save stems for later), covered in a large bowl until bright green and tender, 2-3 minutes. Be careful to not overcook. Melt the 2 tablespoons butter in a large pot over medium heat. Cook onion and broccoli stems until softened and tender, about 8-10 minutes. Add rice and cook stirring, about 1 minute. Stir in broth and half and half and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until rice is tender. Be sure to stir rice often. Cook for 20-25 minutes. Off heat, stir in the salt, pepper, cheddar and Parmesan cheeses, and the broccoli florets. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking pan. Top with the reserved panko crumb mixture and bake until the sauce is bubbly and the top is golden, about 15 minutes. Cool 5 minutes. Serve and enjoy!

Note: This dish can be prepared ahead of time. Follow recipe instructions. After pouring the mixture into the baking dish, cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 8 hours. Store the crumb mixture in a separate container in fridge. Before baking, sprinkle the crumbs on top of casserole. Bake at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes until hot and bubbly.

Mashed Potato Casserole with Bacon, Cheese and Chives

 Mashed potatoes stuffed with cheese, sour cream, bacon and chives is comfort food indeed. I took this casserole to my oldest son's house for our Mother's day dinner last evening. My son grilled chicken so this Mashed Potato Casserole went well with our dinner on the deck. The evening got cool, so a hot side dish was very welcome. I don't normally use a recipe when I make this dish, so I wrote it down this time as I put it together.
This casserole is perfect for a family gathering or a pot luck dinner. In fact, it tends to find the way to a lot of our church dinners, where there is not a bite left. I'm sure many of you make a similar dish. Hope you enjoy it!

Mashed Potato Casserole with Bacon, Cheese and Chives

From Lynda's Recipe Box

I used gold potatoes this time, but red skinned or russet potatoes work well too.

Ingredients:

4 pounds potatoes, peeled and cut up to be boiled

about 3/4 cup milk

1/2- 3/4 cups sour cream

4 tablespoons butter

2 cups, (8 ounces), freshly shredded cheese, separated - I used Colby this time , but Cheddar, Parmesan, Mozzarella or Gouda is delicious with the bacon also.

2-4 tablespoons freshly snipped chives-I used 2, but really could have used more.

5-6 slices of bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled

salt and pepper to taste

1. Cook the potatoes in a large saucepan, in salted, boiling water until they are tender. Drain well, and return the potatoes to the pan.

2. Mash well with potato masher, or a hand mixer, and add the butter and mash into the potatoes. Add 1/2 cup milk and 1/2 cup sour cream and beat until incorporated. Stir in 1 cup of cheese and chives. Now, add more milk or sour cream if it is needed. Potatoes should be very creamy. Taste potatoes and season with salt and pepper.

3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spoon potatoes into a buttered 9x13 inch glass baking pan and smooth evenly in the pan. Cover with foil and bake in oven for 15-20 minutes until they are hot.

4. Remove dish from oven and remove foil. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup cheeses over the potatoes and return them to the oven. Bake for about 10 minutes, just until the cheese is melted and casserole is hot.

5. Remove casserole from oven. Sprinkle with all the crumbled bacon and 2 teaspoons of fresh snipped chives. Enjoy!

NOTE: This casserole can be prepared a day ahead if desired. Just cover the pan of mashed potatoes with foil and keep in the fridge. Baking time will take longer because the casserole is cold, maybe 30-40 minutes. Then top with toppings.



Scalloped Potatoes and Ham

I've always loved using leftover ham in scalloped potatoes for a delicious, hearty casserole. I had 2 cups of ham pieces leftover from my Easter ham, so this casserole was born today. It was creamy and cheesy and had chunks of ham scattered throughout it. Potatoes are either sliced with a mandolin, or very thinly sliced by hand with a sharp knife. The only change I will make next time is too add more milk for just a bit more sauce, a change I added to the recipe. Other than that, this was a very tasty dish. Got Leftover ham? Give this a try.

Scalloped Potatoes and Ham
From Lynda's Recipe Box
I used unpeeled Yukon Gold potatoes. When I use russets, I always peel them because they have a thicker peel.

2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, or russet potatoes
2 cups diced ham
1 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 cups milk-I used 2%
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoon flour
1/2 onion, diced
1 1/2 cups shredded cheese- I used Colby/Jack
salt to taste
pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Since I used Yukon Gold potatoes, I left the peels on. If using russets, they need to be peeled. So, slice all the potatoes, using a mandolin or a knife. In a 12 inch skillet, melt the butter and add in the diced onion. Saute the onion for about 2 minutes, then sprinkle in the flour. Stir and cook for about 1 minute. Pour the milk into the skillet and stir until the mixture begins to thicken. Add in the ham, and heat one minute. Add the cream, and also the potatoes. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper if needed. Butter a 9x13 inch baking dish. Pour half of the potato mixture into the baking dish. Sprinkle with half the cheese. Top with remainder of the potato and cream mixture. Top with the remaining cheese. Cover dish well with aluminum foil. Bake for 50 minutes covered. Then, uncover the pan and bake for another 10-15 minutes until cheese is bubbly and potatoes are done. Remove from oven and enjoy!

Mushroom and Brown Rice Casserole

When I first saw this Mushroom and Brown Rice Casserole I knew I had to make it. My husband and I love rice so I try to use brown rice whenever I can because it's healthy and I love the nutty taste too. This casserole is full of mushrooms and onions and a couple of ingredients that may surprise you. Cottage cheese, sour cream; are you surprised? Anyway, this is delicious. I only made a half of recipe for just my husband and I. It was enough for dinner and leftovers the next day. This is now my favorite brown rice recipe. If you are a rice lover, you should give this casserole a try.

Mushroom and Brown Rice Casserole
slightly adapted from Annie's Eats - I made half of the recipe, and it made 3 - 4 side servings. Double the recipe if you need more.

2 teaspoons olive oil
4 ounces of mushrooms - I used Baby Bellas
1/2  of a red onion, finely diced
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice
1 egg
1/2 cup cottage cheese - regular,or low fat
1/4 cup sour cream - I used low fat
1/4 teaspoon salt
black pepper to taste
3 tablespoons fresh grated Parmesan cheese
parsley for garnish - optional

Give the mushroom a rough dice and then saute in oil in a skillet over medium heat. when they have released their liquid, add the onions to skillet. When softened, add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. In a bowl, combine the egg, sour cream, cottage cheese and salt. Stir in about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the Parmesan cheese. Mix in the rice and the mushroom mixture and pour into a greased 1 quart casserole dish. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees F. for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake 15-20 minutes more. Remove dish from oven. Top with the remaining Parmesan cheese. Garnish with parsley and enjoy!

Farfalle with Turkey Italian Sausage and Provolone

 Well, I'm back from our short, but very enjoyable anniversary trip. We enjoyed a few delightful, but very rainy days in Branson, Missouri. Branson is only about 1 1/2 hours from here so we've had many of the same storms. We've had so much rain and it's rather cool outside, but that's another story.
One of the best things about going on a trip is eating out. I loved not cooking and not having to clean up a messy kitchen. Don't get me wrong, I do love to cook, but a break every so often is something I look forward to. And now that we are back home, I'm having trouble getting back in the groove of making meals. Sigh. I didn't even have to cook for Easter. Eric, son number 1, and his wife Steff, had us over for a delicious ham dinner, so no kitchen duty that day either!
Last night I wanted something easy to make, so I used mostly what was on hand. I had gone grocery shopping and picked up some Turkey Italian Sausage and the other ingredients were items I had in my pantry.  Nothing fancy, but it was delicious and full of flavor. I browned the links of sausage in a skillet and then sliced it when cool, but you could break up the meat if you like. I used a jar of marinara, and some pasta that needed to be used, and a few spoon fulls of ricotta cheese that needed to be used. Yup, this is a pantry meal, but it turned out very tasty! Here's what I did.

FARFALLE with TURKEY ITALIAN SAUSAGE and PROVOLONE
from Lynda's Recipe Box

8 ounces farfalle, or other pasta
save about 1/2 cup water from the cooked pasta
1- 24 ounce jar of marinara sauce, or about 2 1/2 cups of homemade sauce
1/4 cup ricotta cheese
pinch of red pepper flakes
12 ounces of Italian Turkey Sausage links - or other Italian sausage or ground beef
Provolone cheese slices- or mozzarella cheese
grated Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta in salted water according to package directions. Save back about 1/2 cup of the water. In skillet over medium  heat, add 1 tablespoon oil and brown the sausage, covered for about 10 minutes, or until done. Reduce heat if necessary. Remove sausages to a plate to cool. Slice sausage into 1/2 inch pieces. Mix the ricotta cheese and the marinara sauce together in a bowl. Stir in the pasta, red pepper flakes and the sliced sausage. The ricotta cheese will make the sauce thicker, so use some of the pasta cooking water to thin the sauce if needed. Pour into a casserole dish and top with slices of provolone or mozzarella cheese. Cover dish tightly with foil and bake in a preheated oven for 20-30 minutes until bubbly and cheese is melted. Serves 4-6 people. Enjoy!

Tijuana Torte (a Mexican-style casserole)

While flipping through an old recipe book of mine, called "Some of the Best Recipes Ever Assembled into One Cookbook", I came across this Mexican-style casserole that I used to make often. While it wasn't a favorite of our kids, my husband has always loved it. Truthfully, it isn't my favorite Mexican casserole, but I do enjoy it as it has a layer of sour cream that really sets the Tex-Mex flavors off. I always put the canned tomatoes in the blender to pulse, because my family doesn't like chunky tomatoes in their food. Picky, I know, but I do what needs to be done to get people to eat! This easy casserole is layered like a lasagna and is mild in flavor. It calls for stewed tomatoes, which are somewhat sweet, but I sub diced tomatoes most of the time. Use whichever you prefer. I hope you enjoy this flavorful casserole.

TIJUANA TORTE

Ingredients:

1 pound ground chuck or ground round beef

1 medium onion, diced

1- 15 ounce can can diced tomatoes, or stewed tomatoes (I pulse them in the blender)

1 - 8 ounce can tomato sauce

1 -4 ounce can diced green chilies

1 package taco seasoning

flour or corn tortillas- I used 18 fajita sized flour tortillas,(6 for each layer), but any size will work

about 1 cup of sour cream

1 pound freshly grated cheddar cheese

1. Brown ground beef and onion in a skillet; drain off any fat from the meat. Add the rest of the ingredients to the meat, and simmer for 10 minutes.

2. Place 1/4-1/2 cup of mixture in the bottom of a 9x13 inch non reactive baking pan. Place a layer of tortillas over that.

3. Place about 1/3 of the meat mixture over the tortillas. Sprinkle with shredded cheese.

4. Add another layer of tortillas, and then a layer of meat sauce. Cover with more cheese; then dollop with all of the sour cream and gently spread out.

5. Lastly, cover with the rest of the tortillas, the meat sauce and the rest of the cheese.

6. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 25 minutes, until cheese is bubbly.

Remove from oven and let cool about 10-15 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

NOTE: I usually make this casserole in 3 layers, but it would work well in 2 layers, if preferred.

Stacked Chicken Enchiladas - an easy cassarole

My week has been busy with an ill granddaughter to help with, and then my husband got sick, so I really haven't cooked much. I hope next week is healthier. But I do have a recipe to share. Would you like having a yummy chicken enchilada casserole recipe that is fairly easy to throw together? A rotisserie chicken is called for in this recipe, which cuts down quite a bit in the casserole's preparation. Of course, you can used leftover baked chicken, or even turkey, if desired. A delicious, spicy, but mild sauce is layered between roasted chicken, corn tortillas and Monterrey jack cheese and baked for 15-20 minutes, which makes it easy enough even for a week night meal. This is supposed to be a 30 minute meal from Cook's Country, but I went over a few minutes. I like the smaller size of this casserole as it's not so huge for a smaller family. But it packs plenty of flavor! My husband prefers actual enchiladas to this casserole, but I don't always have time to make them. This dish is a delicious substitute, so I hope you'll give it a try.

STACKED CHICKEN ENCHILADAS

adapted from Cook's Country

1 tablespoon canola oil

1/2 onion, chopped fine

3 tablespoons chili powder

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 (8-ounce) cans tomato sauce

3/4 cup low sodium chicken broth

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 (4-ounce) can of chopped green chilies

1 rotisserie chicken, skin discarded and meat shredded ( about 3 cups of meat)

2 cups shredded Monterrey Jack cheese-recipe calls for Mexican cheese blend

12 (6 inch) corn tortillas

1. Place an oven rack in middle of oven and preheat oven to 400 degrees. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat and saute onion until soft, about 5 minutes. Add chili powder, and cumin and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the chicken broth, salt and tomato paste. Cook until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Cover and keep warm.

2. Toss the chicken, 1/4 cup sauce, 1 cup cheese and green chilies in a bowl. Tortillas are supposed to be softened in a microwave, but mine were fresh and soft, so I skipped this step.

Now, spread 1/2 cup of sauce in the bottom of an 8x8 inch baking dish. Lay 4 tortillas over the sauce in the baking dish. Cover the tortillas with half of the chicken mixture.. Top chicken layer with 4 more tortillas, and then cover with half of the sauce mixture. Cover with remaining chicken mixture, then the last 4 tortillas, and the rest of the sauce. Cover with the remaining 1 cup of cheese.

3. Place a piece of foil tightly over the baking dish and bake about 15 minutes until heated through. Remove the foil and bake until the cheese is lightly browned, about 5 minutes. I let it cool about 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

NOTE: If you prefer a spicier dish, you can used pepper jack cheese as a substitute.

Easy Tuna Casserole (a no-soup version!)

Sometimes when the weather is cool and rainy, I crave an old fashioned casserole to eat. My Mother-in-law used to make a wonderful Tuna Casserole, but I really haven't tried to make one myself too often. You see, my husband won't eat it-he doesn't care for canned tuna. But, the other day it sounded so good to me that I decided to come up with a Tuna Casserole for my daughter and I for dinner. It turned out wonderful. I did not use creamed soups, but made my own white sauce with a little cheese. This Easy Tuna Casserole was creamy and delicious and I'll definitely be making it again! This recipe is for a small pan and will feed only 2-3 people, so double it to feed more.

EASY TUNA CASSEROLE
from Lynda's Recipe Box

2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup onion, diced
about 4 ounces of sliced mushrooms- I used some leftover from the day before.
1 1/4 cup low sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup milk or half and half
1/2 cup (4 ounces), shredded cheddar cheese
5-6 ounces egg noodles
1 can tuna, drained
3/4 cup frozen peas
1/4- 1/2 teaspoon salt
pepper to taste
crushed potato chips for topping

Cook noodles according to package directions.
To make sauce: In a large saucepan melt the butter and saute the onions and mushrooms for a couple of minutes until onions are soft and mushrooms have lost alot of their liquid. Stir in the flour and cook for a minute. Pour in the chicken broth and whisk while it cooks and thickens. Add the milk or half and half and whisk thoroughly until thickened. If it gets too thick, add a bit more milk. Stir in the cheese, peas, salt and pepper and stir until cheese is melted. Taste sauce and adjust seasonings if needed.
Now gently fold in the noodles and drained tuna, taking care to leave the tuna chunky, if possible. Pour mixture into a buttered 1 1/2 quart baking dish. Top with crushed potato chips, if desired. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes or until casserole is bubbly. Enjoy!

Lasagna Rollups - Adapted from Ellie Krieger

I love a good lasagna. With pasta, and a good, flavorful sauce covered in cheese, what's not to love? I finally got around to making Lasagna Rolls and they were wonderful! I made the sauce the day before I wanted to serve this dish, to save time and let the sauce develop even more flavor. To make the rolls, the ricotta and spinach mixture is spread along each lasagna noodle, and then topped with some of the tomato sauce.

Then roll the noodles up and place in a baking pan. I'm not really sure if this is any faster than layering the lasagna, but it's still a great idea. These rolls are so pretty and pack a punch of flavor. The original recipe calls for portobello mushrooms, but my daughter hates mushrooms, so I used some Italian sausage instead. Next time I'll make these when she's not home because I love mushrooms! But, the sausage gave the sauce more flavor, so I was happy. The sauce needed a bit more flavor, but that was easy to remedy. Whether you use mushrooms, or sausage, you'll enjoy this dish! I hope you'll give it a try. Here's the recipe.

LASAGNA ROLLUPS

adapted from Ellie Krieger

Make the sauce first.

Sauce ingredients:

2 teaspoons olive oil

about 8 ounces Italian sausage (original recipe uses 12 ounces diced portobello mushrooms)

1 medium onion, chopped (about 1 1/2 cup)

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 (28 ounce) cans whole tomatoes with juice

3 tablespoons tomato paste

1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano, or, 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh (I used fresh)

1 bay leaf

1/2 teaspoon salt

pepper to taste

2 teaspoons sugar- my addition

In a large pot, heat the oil and add the sausage and onion and cook until sausage is done and onion is tender. Add in the minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about i minute. Add the canned tomatoes, and break apart. I like to use a potato masher to break them up quickly. Add the rest of the ingredients and cook uncovered for about 30 minutes. NOTE: If using fresh oregano, add it to the sauce the last 5 minutes of cooking. Taste, and adjust seasoning.

Other Ingredients:

12 lasagna noodles- recipe calls for whole wheat noodles

4 cups Easy Tomato Sauce, recipe follows, or store bought marinara

1 (15) ounce container part-skim ricotta cheese

1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

1 egg, lightly beaten

freshly ground pepper to taste

1/4 teaspoon salt

pinch of ground nutmeg

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

3 ounces grated Mozzarella cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cook the noodles according to package directions. Drain them and spread out onto aluminum foil or waxed paper to prevent them from sticking together.

2. In a bowl, add the ricotta cheese, spinach, egg, nutmeg, salt and pepper and mix well.

3. Spread 1 cup of sauce in a 9x13 inch baking dish.

4. On each noodle spread about 2 tablespoons of the ricotta mixture. Top with about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the sauce mixture.. Carefully roll up each noodle and place in the baking dish. Spread remaining sauce over the Lasagna Rolls. Top with grated cheeses, cover loosely with aluminum foil, and bake for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake another 15 minutes. Now you have some delicious Lasagna Rolls! Enjoy!

Hash Brown Potato Casserole- My daughter cooks comfort food for supper!

Yesterday, during our snowy on slot of a nasty winter storm, my daughter remarked that she was craving comfort food and asked if she could cook dinner. Of course I said yes! With the promise of a delicious home-cooked meal, her boyfriend braved the snowy elements and made his way to our home in time for supper too. So, my daughter made Classic Meatloaf, green beans and this Hash Brown Potato Casserole. She also baked Neiman Marcus Cookies for a sweet after dinner treat. She did a great job, and I didn't have to cook as she always runs me out of the kitchen. I'm sure many of you have a similar old recipe for Hash Brown Potato Casserole. One of these days I'm going to redo the recipe to get rid of the canned soup, but this is one of my daughter's favorites, so I let her do it her way. She did a fantastic job! Here's the recipe.

HASH BROWN POTATO CASSEROLE

from Lynda's Recipe Box

1 bag frozen hash browns, thawed (about 1 lb. 14 oz.) I used Dell's

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 cup sour cream

1 stick (1/2 cup) melted butter (8 tablespoons, or 1/4 lb.)

8 ounces shredded cheddar cheese, or cheddar jack cheese ( 2 cups)

about 1/2 cup finely diced onion

1/8 tsp. black pepper

Panko crumbs for topping, optional (my daughter didn't use them)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix the thawed hash browns with the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl and pour into a greased 9x13 baking dish. Sprinkle with extra cheese, or Panko. Bake for 45-50 minutes, until bubbly and golden around the edges. This casserole can be prepared a day ahead and baked before you want to serve it. It also reheats well for leftovers. Enjoy!

NOTE: You can use 1 1/2 cups of the shredded cheese in the casserole, and use the remaining 1/2 cup for the topping.

Creamy Herbed Potatoes (from the Pioneer Woman)

A few weeks ago, I won "The Pioneer Woman Cooks", cookbook from a contest on Lisa's blog, The Cutting Edge of Ordinary! This is a wonderful blog with tons of luscious looking food. I was so excited to win Ree's cookbook. The photos are beautiful, of course, and all the recipes so yummy looking. So, I tried her Creamy Herbed Potatoes recipe . Talk about smooth, creamy and delicious potatoes! They are a "10", and I'll make them again as they go with so many different entrees. Perfect with meatloaf or a roast, or even fish, and also great served for the holidays!

I didn't have chives to use, because my plant froze; nor did I use heavy cream in the recipe. I substituted half and half for the cream. I also only made half a recipe, but they are good, real good. They are rich, but worth every bite. If your looking for a potato dish for Christmas, this might be just for you! You can find the recipe here. Tommorrow, I'll be sharing a sweet recipe!

My Mother's Chicken (or turkey) Pot Pie

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! If you still have turkey leftovers, this Pot Pie would be a good choice to make. This is similar to my Mother's Pot Pie. I say similar, because she did not use a written recipe, so I've had to write one so that I could pass this on to my kids. This was one of my favorite meals when I was growing up. My brother and I came running to the table when we knew this delicious Pot Pie was on the menu for dinner. Most of the time Mom used chicken for this recipe except at Thanksgiving when we had turkey. She always used Bisquick to make the biscuits on top, which is an easy choice of topping. That's what I used this time because I was lazy! But, of course you can use your homemade biscuit recipe in its place. Or use a pie crust topping, if desired. It will taste delicious either way. Likewise, my husband and kids
love this dish! When my kids were little, this was one of the few meals that everyone would eat. I had a couple of picky eaters, so when the weather is cool, this Pot Pie has been a staple in my recipe rotation. It's hard to pass up such good comfort food! I'm submitting this recipe to Shelby, of The Life and Loves of Grumpey's Honeybunch and Laura, of The Spiced Life, for November's Family Recipes, Memories of Family, Food and Fun. Be sure to check out their blogs for other submissions.
MY MOTHER'S CHICKEN (OR TURKEY) POT PIE

3 cups cooked, shredded chicken or turkey
3 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup flour, plus 1 tablespoon
1 cup diced onion
1 stalk diced celery
2 1/2 cups chicken or turkey broth
1/2 cup milk, or you may use more broth, if desired
16 ounces of frozen vegetables, or use an equal amount of leftover veggies
salt and pepper to taste-I used 3/4 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp.pepper, but it will depend on whether you use canned broth or your own broth.

TOPPING: Either use your own biscuit recipe, or use about 2 cups of Bisquick and mix according to box directions.

This recipe is easy to adapt to what you have on hand. I used mixed, frozen vegetables, but you could also use peas and carrots or even add mushrooms, if desired.
In a large sauce pan, melt the butter over medium heat and saute the onion and celery until soft. Stir in the 1/4 cup and 1 tablespoon flour until smooth. Pour in the 2 1/2 cups broth; stir until combined and bring to a boil. Simmer until thickened and then cook a couple of minutes. Stir in the milk and bring back to simmer. Now, add the frozen vegetables and turkey. Mix well and add salt and pepper to taste. Pour mixture into a 3 quart baking dish. Stir up the biscuit topping and place tablespoonfuls on top of potpie. Bake in a 425 degree oven for about 10 minutes, or until the biscuits are done. Enjoy!

Turkey Tetrazzini

I had hoped to post this morning, but it didn't work out. I just want to say a big "Thank you" to all of our veterans and the men and women who are currently serving in our military. Thank you for sacrificing to serve our country and protect our freedoms! My father, father-in-law and my husband all served during war time, and I'm very proud of them. God Bless all of you on this Veterans Day and every day!
And of course, this is a recipe blog, so we must have food! I made this yummy Tetrazzini this week only I used chicken instead of turkey. But of course, left over Thanksgiving turkey is perfect for this dish. I included the mushrooms this time, even though my son protested. He says he does not like "fungi" in his food, but I just didn't listen to him! This is comfort food with the creamy Parmesan sauce, mushrooms and pasta. I found this recipe at Epicurious a few years ago and it has become a staple in our family. I hope you enjoy it.

A white sauce is made with milk, flour and Parmesan cheese, and then mixed with turkey or chicken and some pasta. Add in the mushrooms and peas and top with crumbs. Dot with butter.

Bake until golden and bubbly. It's a comforting casserole that is so good any time of the year, but especially in the colder months. Serve with a veggie or salad and maybe some crusty bread.

TURKEY TETRAZZINI- adapted from Epicurious

2-3 cups cooked turkey or chicken, chopped

8-10 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced

4 T. butter

1/4 cup flour

1 3/4 cups milk

2 cups chicken broth

1/4 cup half and half (recipe calls for white wine)

10 ounces spaghetti, cooked and drained

1 cup frozen peas

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided

1/2 tsp. salt, or to taste

1/4 tsp. pepper

1/3 cup fresh bread crumbs

1 more T. butter

Cook the spaghetti to package directions. In a large, heavy saucepan cook the mushrooms in 4 tablespoons of butter, over medium heat, stirring until most of their liquid they give off has evaporated. Stir in the flour over low heat for about 3 minutes. Whisk in the broth, milk and half and half. Bring to a simmer and cook until sauce has thickened. Stir in 2/3 cup of Parmesan cheese. Add the peas and salt and pepper. Taste and add more salt or pepper, if needed. Mix in the cooked, drained spaghetti and transfer the mixture to a buttered 3 quart casserole dish. A 9x 13 baking dish works for this dish. In a small bow combine the remaining 1/3 cup of Parmesan, the bread crumbs and 1 T. melted butter and sprinkle over the Tetrazzini. Dot with the remaining tablespoon of butter. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for about 25-30 minutes, or until it is bubbling and the top is golden. Dig in!

How do you use left-over turkey?

Chicken Enchiladas with Sour Cream Sauce

One of my family's favorite meals is enchiladas. I've already shared my Shredded Beef Enchiladas with you. It happens to be one of the most popular posts in Lynda's Recipe Box! Today, I'll share my favorite recipe for Chicken Enchiladas with Sour Cream Sauce. I've been experimenting with these for several years now and I'm finally happy with the results. The chicken filling has just the right amount of spiciness to go with the creamy sauce and melted cheese. The addition of Salsa Verde to the white sauce really is a flavor booster! This recipe is easy to adjust to your own tastes and ingredients that you have on hand. I prefer using corn tortillas, but you may substitute the flour tortillas, if you wish. The corn tortillas need to be softened before filling. There are a couple of ways to do this. Some cooks have good luck warming the corn tortillas in the microwave, however, it doesn't work for me. They still fall apart too much, so I always resort to softening them in a skillet with just enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan. Lay the tortilla in the hot pan and let it come to a sizzle and flip it over with tongs. Let the tortilla start to bubble and remove from the skillet and lay on paper towels to drain and cool. You'll need 10-12 corn tortillas for a 9x13 inch pan.

You may use leftover chicken or turkey for these luscious enchiladas. Or, you may use skinless, boneless chicken breasts. Either simmer them in water for about 15-20 minutes or bake in the oven. When done, shred or chop the meat. For a super easy idea, buy a rotisserie chicken from your local deli and take the meat off the bones. I like to cook a whole chicken in the crock pot for the meat because I love the flavor of the white and dark meat together, but any of these suggestions will work. I used the boneless chicken breasts this time, about 1 1/2 pounds, cooked, shredded and then coarsely chopped. To assemble, pour some white sauce in the bottom of baking dish. Fill each tortilla with chicken mixture and wrap up and place in baking pan. Pour more white sauce over enchiladas and top with cheese. Bake and devour! Let's make them!

CHICKEN ENCHILADAS with SOUR CREAM SAUCE

from Lynda's Recipe Box

For chicken filling;

About 3 cups of cooked, shredded chicken

1/2 cup of sour cream sauce, (recipe below), or just enough to moisten chicken

1 4 ounce can of chopped, green chilies

1/2 cup diced onion, lightly sauteed in small amount of oil (optional)

1 cup of shredded Monterrey Jack Cheese, or cheddar

salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl.

Sour Cream Sauce:

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons flour

1 large clove garlic, minced

2 cups chicken broth or stock, or 1 can purchased broth

1 -7 ounce can of Salsa Verde, or equivalent from a jar of Salsa Verde (green salsa)

1/2-1 cup of sour cream

salt and pepper to taste

Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Add the garlic and saute just til fragrant. Add the flour and stir to make a roux. Pour in the chicken broth and Salsa Verde and whisk until it comes to a simmer. Cook until sauce is thickened. It will be sauce like, not too thick. Remove the pan from heat and stir in the sour cream. Taste to see if you want to add more sour cream. Cool.

Other ingredients;

12 corn tortillas

2 cups of shredded Monterrey Jack or cheddar cheese

To assemble enchiladas:

Pour about 1 cup of sour cream sauce in a 9x13 inch baking pan. Soften tortillas in oil or in the microwave. Lay out tortilla and add about 1/3 cup of chicken filling to each tortilla. Wrap it up and lay it in the pan. Repeat with remaining filling and tortillas. It will take 10-12 tortillas.

Pour remaining sour cream sauce over the rolled enchiladas. You may not wish to use it all, go by your own preference here. Sprinkle more cheese over tops of enchiladas. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 25- 30 minutes, or until bubbly. Cool a few minutes before serving. Garnish with chopped green onions and cilantro, if desired. Enjoy!

NOTE: This dish may be prepared early in day and refrigerated; then bake at dinner time a few minutes longer.

If you prefer some onion and peppers in the sauce, just add some diced jalapenos and onion to the butter and cook until softened, then stir in the flour and broth and finish. We love the Salsa Verde in the white sauce as it gives just enough spicy flavor to this delicious dish. The 1/2 cup of sour cream seems just right, flavorful, but not over powering.
I love serving these Chicken Enchiladas with my Tex-Mex Rice and a simple salad, plus some Guacamole Dip and chips. This is a great meal any time of year!

Baked Macaroni and Cheese- Perfect Comfort Food!

Everyone has their own version of Mac and Cheese. I loved my Mother's creamy Mac and Cheese as a kid. She would cook the macaroni and after it was drained, she added milk, butter, salt and pepper and then she would cube Velveeta and mix into the mac. It was then poured into a casserole dish and baked until golden, creamy and bubbly. Mmmmm, my brother and I were in heaven! When my kids were little, they loved this type of cheesy goodness, but not if baked. Nope, we went the stove top method, as they wouldn't eat it any other way. Talk about picky!

Finally, as they got older, I was able to start baking this wonderful comfort food again, only my cheese preference has changed with age. You know that old saying, "I'm not older, just better!" Well, this mac and cheese is better too! Now, Son Number 2, who is 25, and my daughter have proclaimed this recipe, The BOMB! Can't get much better than that! They do eventually grow up. So, here's my version of the old classic; mac and cheese will never go out of style!

Baked Macaroni and Cheese- Perfect Comfort Food!

2 cups of dry elbo macaroni, cooked and drained

2 T. butter

2 T. flour

1 1/2 tsp. dry mustard

2 cups milk (I use 2%)

1/2- 3/4 cup of half and half

4 ounces of Colby cheese, freshly shredded

4 ounces Monterrey jack cheese, freshly shredded

1/2- 1 tsp. salt

pepper to taste

Topping:

3/4 cup coarse bread crumbs, or Panko bread crumbs

1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1 T. melted butter

Mix topping ingredients together.

In a large, heavy bottomed sauce pan, melt the butter. Stir in the flour and stir, making a roux, and let it cook minute or so. Don't burn! Whisk in the dry mustard and then the milk. Whisk until smooth and cook on low heat until thickened, a couple of minutes. Stir in the cheeses and the half and half. Remove pan from the heat. Do not let the cheese come to a boil, as it tends to ruin the texture. Continue stirring until cheese is melted. Add the cooked, drained macaroni and salt and pepper to the sauce. Stir well and taste to adjust the seasonings. Pour into a 2 quart casserole dish, ( a 8x8 works well). Sprinkle the crumb topping over the top. Place in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 25 minutes, until bubbly and topping is golden. Enjoy! Best served while hot.

Whole milk works great for this recipe, but as we have used 2% for years now, I rarely buy whole. The half and half adds creaminess to this dish. Also, I think freshly shredded cheese melts better than the preshredded. Of course, you can substitute your favorite cheeses in place of mine. What's your favorite cheese to use in Macaroni and Cheese?

Hamburger Pie

Do you have picky eaters in your family? When my 3 children were young, my 2 boys were quite picky, but my daughter would eat most things. I thought my boys would turn into PBJ's or Mac and Cheese before they ever grew up! Well, Hamburger Pie is a dish that all 3 of my kids would eat, so it was a standard dish in our family during those growing up years. I made it the other night because I had everything on hand and I hope that some of your kids will enjoy it too!

First, you peel 3 or 4 potatoes, cut them up and put into water to boil. Mash them when done. Then, brown some ground beef and onion in a skillet, drain it, and add some tomato sauce, water and some green beans. Let it simmer a few minutes and pour into a 8x8 casserole dish. Mound mashed potatoes on top; top potatoes with cheese and bake for about 20 minutes until the cheese is melted and casserole is bubbly. This was one of my oldest son's favorite meals!

HAMBURGER PIE

3-4 medium potatoes, peeled and cut up

1 egg, beaten

milk, for the mashed potatoes

1 ground chuck or other lean ground beef

1 can green beans, or about 2 cups of cooked fresh or frozen green beans

1 1/4 cups tomato sauce, or you can use 1 can of tomato soup, if desired

1/4 cup water

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup shredded American or Cheddar cheese, for topping

In a pot of boiling water add cut up potatoes and a pinch of salt and boil until tender.
Drain potatoes and mash while hot; blend in egg . Add enough milk to make the potatoes fluffy, but still able to hold their shape. Sometimes, I skip using the egg as it's only purpose that I can see is to help the potatoes hold their shape. In a skillet, brown the ground chuck and the onion together and drain off any grease that accumulates. Add tomato sauce, or tomato soup, water, green beans and salt and pepper, if using. If using tomato sauce, I add 2 teaspoons of sugar at this time (optional). Pour mixture into a 8x8 inch casserole dish and mound the mashed potatoes on top. Top the potatoes with the grated cheese and bake, uncovered, in a preheated 350 degree oven til heated through, about 20 minutes. Serves 4-6. Hope your kids enjoy!

It isn't an elegant meal, but back in the growing up years, I was just happy to find a dish that everyone liked! I haven't ever been picky; guess I love to eat too much! How about you? Are you a picky eater?

Chili Tortilla Bake

One summer day last year, I was strolling down the aisle at my local grocery store, when I spied a little display rack near the spice section holding recipes. I can't pass up recipes, so without looking too closely at them I put them in my purse and continued my shopping( they were free, by the way). When I arrived home, I looked more closely at these recipes and decided that Chili Tortilla Bake sounded good and also it would be really easy. So when the weather turned cool, I tried this casserole dish. If you like Tex-Mex style food, you'll like this dish as it has the right amount of spiciness and cheese and it is easy to to adapt to your own tastes. I have made many casseroles for my family and this is one of the easiest. You simply brown the ground beef and add the other ingredients and then layer it with cheese and tortillas, sort of like a lasagna. The recipe is put out by McCormick and this is my slightly adapted version.

Chili Tortilla Bake
1 pound ground chuck
1/2 cup diced onion
2 cans(8 oz.) tomato sauce
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup fresh or frozen corn (or canned)
1/4 cup water
1 can (4 1/2 oz.) chopped green chilies, undrained
2 T. chili powder
1 tea. ground cumin
1 large clove garlic, minced (or 1 tea. garlic powder)
1/2 tea. oregano
6 (8 in. flour tortillas)
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 350. In a large skillet brown beef and onion over medium high heat: drain. Add tomato sauce, beans, corn and green chilies. Stir in water and seasonings and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for about 15 min. In a 9x13 baking dish, coated with cooking spray, place 3 tortillas to cover bottom. Layer with half of chili mixture and half of cheese. Top with remaining tortillas, chili and cheese. Bake 25-30 min. I used more cheese on top than the recipe called for. Also, don't over bake as the cheese gets too rubbery. Garnish with green onions, black olives or cilantro. Do you make casseroles for your family?