Chicken Zucchini Casserole

(From sixsisterstuff). This is a great week night meal that is quite easy. Brandon and Isaac had seconds and thirds! Surprisingly good!

1box chicken stuffing mix (stovetop)
1 stick butter, melted
4 zucchini, diced
2 cooked chicken breasts, diced
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 onion, chopped fine
1/2 cup sour cream
Cook onion in a little butter or oil till soft, set aside for a minute. Mix stuffing and butter. Mix zucchini, chicken, soup, cooked onion, sour cream and half of the stuffing then pour into greased 9x13 dish. Sprinkle remaining half of the stuffing over top. Bake 45 mins at 350.

Creamy Chicken Wild Rice Dish

This is scratch! No cream of soups. Delicious and comforting for a Fall evening.

3 large chicken breasts, cooked and diced to bite size
1 cube butter
1 onion, diced fine
1-2 large garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup white wine (optional, its not a must, but makes the difference)
3 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 tsp dried mustard
1/2 tsp poultry seasoning
1 T fresh parsley or 1/2 tsp dried
1/2 cup raw wild rice
1 cup raw white rice
2 cups chopped broccoli, steamed in microwave 2 mins
2 cups shredded cheddar/Jack mix or whatever cheese you like
Prepare rice according to their own packages in seperate pots. The wild rice takes about 45 mins to cook so start that ahead! When both are done, combine the two, toss. Meanwhile, cook onion in butter till soft. Add garlic 1 minute. Add flour, whisking till no lumps and cook 2-3 mins stirring. Add wine and broth, whisk till combined and add poultry seasoning, mustard and parsley. Whisk till thickened. Add cream and then remove from heat. Assemble casserole by greasing a 9x13 dish with deep sides. Layer chicken then broccoli. Add half the cheese. Layer rice, then pour sauce over the top evenly. Sprinkle with other half cheese. Bake at 350 for 30 mins till bubbly. **note: you may want to salt your rice and chicken water while cooking them for more flavor! You can also buy a wild rice blend and save a step.**

Italian Sausage Lasagna

This is good. Love the fresh spinach. Always looking for a new way to make lasagna, and this is worth it!

1 pkg (16oz) ground mild italian sausage
12 lasagna noodles
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup parmesan
2 packed cups fresh spinach, chopped
2 cups or more grated mozzarella
1 egg
4 cups ricotta cheese
24oz jar prego sauce (marinara or traditional) or homemade if you are so blessed
dried Oregano
In large pot of water boil noodles till al dente, about half the time on box. In skillet, cook sausage and onion till no longer pink. Add garlic, cook 1 minute. Add spaghetti sauce, and set aside. In bowl mix spinach, egg, ricotta and half the parmesan. Coat a 9x13 baking dish with oil spray. Spread bottom with 1 cup of meat sauce. layer on 3 noodles. Spread about 1/3 of the ricotta mixture on noddles, then 1/3 meat sauce. Sprinkle a handful of mozzarella over. Then 3 noodles. Repeat till 3 layers are made, ending with 3 noodles on top. Sprinkle top with remaining mozzarella and parmesan. Sprinkle generously with dried oregano. Bake uncovered at 350 for 45 minutes till browned and bubbly.

Greek Pastitsio

If you are craving Olive Garden, but dont have the money or want to wait an hour for a table, make this dish!! So good and less fattening too. (From http://www.melskitchencafe.com/)

12oz penne pasta
1 lb. ground turkey
1 onion, chopped fine
3-5 garlic cloves (3 good size was plenty!)minced or pressed
3/4 tsp salt
pepper
2 T flour
2 cups milk
8oz reduced fat cream cheese
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1 can petite diced tomatoes, drained
1 cup mozzarella, grated
2 T fresh parsley, chopped
Heat broiler. Grease 9x13 baking dish. Cook pasta. In large skillet, cook turkey, onion and salt&pepper. Add garlic, sprinkle in flour. Add cream cheese and let melt in a little. Whisk in milk, nutmeg and tomatoes. Simmer 5 minutes. Add pasta. Pour into 9x13 and sprinkle with mozzarella. Broil 3-5 minutes till top is brown and bubbly. Remove and sprinkle with parsley. Serve. *I made bread sticks using rhodes dough and brushed with butter, then sprinkled garlic powder and parmesan. so good!

My Tuna/Edamame Casserole

I know, I know, tuna casserole, yuck! Well, not this one. My kids have been bugging me to make it again, it is that good. I love that I usually have these ingredients on hand, and making this helps me utilize my food storage. It really is quite good, and the edamame adds a little something extra. Make sure you add enough milk to make it moist enough. No one likes a dry tuna casserole!


16 oz. elbow macaroni
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1 1/2 soup cans of milk
1 c sour cream (or more)
1 1/2 c frozen edamame, defrosted in microwave
2 cans tuna, drained
1/2 red or yellow onion, diced
black pepper (no salt needed)
juice of half a lemon
2 c cheddar cheese, grated, divided
1/2 pkg. club or ritz crackers, crushed

-Cook macaroni as usual. Drain. Add next 8 ingredients and mix well in a bowl. Then mix in 1 c of cheese. Pour in 9 x 13 sprayed with cooking spray.
-Sprinkle remaining cup of cheese over top, then sprinkle with cracker crumbs.
-Bake at 425 for 20 minutes or until bubbly and maybe even a little golden.

Low Carb Lasagna

I wanted to eat something that didn't feel diety, even though we are dieting.  So, I made this for dinner!  The first time I made it, I sliced the zucchini lengthwise thinly in place of the noodles.  It was delish, but I had a certain eldest son, who shall remain nameless, who tried to stage a coup over it!  So, in an effort to avoid gagging, and futile whining, I chopped up the zukes and added them to the sauce!  Again, delish!!  And no complaints,  HE EVEN ATE SECONDS!!  Choose either way.  Enjoy!

2# hamburger
1/2 onion, chopped
4-5 zucchini, sliced lengthwise, or chopped
Cook these three ingredients til hamburger is browned and to desired doneness on the zukes. If you slice them, cook them in olive oil and butter, seasoned with salt and pepper.  And set them aside.
Add your favorite spaghetti sauce to hamburger mixture.  ( My fav is Prego traditional)  Let simmer a bit.

Large container of cottage cheese (or ricotta)
2 cups Mozzarella cheese or more, shredded
1 cup swiss cheese, shredded (or could use parmesan)
1 egg, beaten
parsley, fresh or dried
Mix cheeses together.

Layer:  Sauce, cheese mix, sauce, cheese mix, sauce, top with more shredded mozzarella. 
If doing slices of zukes:  Sauce, zukes, cheese mix, sauce, zukes, cheese mix, sauce, shredded cheese.  Bake for 45 min - 1 hour. 

Here's a little side note.  Have you ever used Coriander?  It is my new favorite seasoning! It is interesting stuff.  It is kinda spicy like pepper, but has a slightly salty flavor, too.  Maybe you could replace some or all of your salt on veggies or meat.  It's great on beef and pork.  I am going to experiment with it more!  I used Coriander to season my zucchini and hamburger mixture tonight and it was awesome! 

Mexican Lasagna

Brandon took left-overs to work for lunch with him for about 5 days- he loves this.

1/2 lb EACH ground beef and ground sausage
1 jalapeno, chopped( I did not use this, spicy enough w/o it)
1 can diced tomatoes with green chiles
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp EACH salt and pepper
1 can cream of celery soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
10oz can enchilada sauce(mild)
18 corn tortillas
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded jack cheese
2 tomatoes chopped
4 green onions sliced
fresh cilantro
1 avocado sliced or diced
Cook sausage and beef. Drain. Add jalapeno, and next 5 ingredients, cook till heated. Stir together soups and enchilada sauce in a pan, cook till heated. Spoon 1/3 of the sauce onto bottom of greased 9x13. Layer 6 tortillas. Spoon half the meat mixture and 1/3 sauce over tortillas, then sprinkle with half the cheddar cheese. Add 6 more tortillas, repeat layers, ending with tortillas. Sprinkle top with the jack cheese and next 3 ingredients. Bake @350 for 30 minutes. Serve with avocado on the side.

Patty Casserole

I picture this recipe coming from a little grandma born and raised in a little Utah town somewhere with a name like Verla. It's a goody.
1 lb or so ground beef
2 potatoes grated
1 carrot grated
half an onion grated
2 eggs
2 T flour
1 can cream of mushroom or chicken, whatever you have in the pantry
1 soup can filled with milk
Mix grated veggies and meat. Add flour and egg. Season if you like. Shape into 8 patties. Brown both sides in a little oil. Place in a 9x13 baking dish. Heat together soup and milk. Pour over patties, cover and bake @350 for 40 minutes. Serve over hot rice spooning "gravy" over top.