Chicken and Spinach Pasta Bake

Ah, a quiet Monday afternoon. The husband and Boy #1 are off at a hockey game, Boy #2 is upstairs watching Dumbo, I took a power nap on the couch, rolled out some king cake dough, and decided to update my blog. I wanted to get laundry put away and clean up our toy room a bit, but since the boy is upstairs watching a movie I've decided to put all that off and deal with it later to enjoy some peace and quiet downstairs. Ahhh. I have to revel in it now because I know it won't last long!!

This was another new recipe we had for dinner this past week. I had limited grocery money to use, but I had a lot of the items for this on hand already. It came from (surprise, surprise) Pinterest. I love a good casserole and this one sounded really tasty. Pasta, chicken, spinach, and cheese? Sounds scrumptious! Oh, Pinterest, where would my life be if I hadn't discovered you. If my husband were answering that question I'm sure he'd come up with some witty comment about how our house would be clean, laundry would be done, and we'd eat dinner on time every night. But, he's not, so I'll go on with my Pinterest obsession fascination.

Chicken and Spinach Pasta Bake
Source: Adapted from Saving Money Living Life blog (found via Pinterest)

8 oz uncooked whole wheat rotini pasta
1 T olive oil
1 c chopped onion
1 (10 oz) pack frozen spinach, thawed
3 c cubed, cooked chicken breasts
1 (14 oz) can Italian-style diced tomatoes, drained
1 (8 oz) container Philadelphia chive & onion cream cheese
1 cup ricotta cheese
½ t salt
½ t pepper
1½ c shredded mozzarella cheese

Prepare pasta according to package directions. Spread oil on bottom of 9x13 baking dish; add onion in a single layer. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes or just until tender. Transfer onion to large bowl, set aside.

Drain chopped spinach well. Stir pasta, spinach, chicken, & next 5 ingredients into onion in bowl. Spoon mixture into dish & sprinkle evenly with shredded mozzarella cheese. Bake uncovered at 375 for 30 minutes.

*****

I only changed up the original recipe slightly. It called for rigatoni, but I like whole wheat pasta, but my grocery stores don't carry whole wheat rigatoni, so I used rotini instead. I also added in the ricotta because 1) I was worried it wasn't going to be creamy enough, and 2) I had some in the fridge that needed to be used up. Plus we're all about extra cheeses here at my house. The original recipe also called for baking it covered for 30 minutes and then uncovered for 15. I didn't want to wait that long to eat, and I really didn't see the point in it since all the parts were cooked already and it just had to combine and heat up. It worked out fine that way. if I had more time I might try it the original way to see how it compared.

This was a total hit with everyone in my family. The husband and I especially dug it, and Boy #2 had more than one serving. Boy #1 I guess was more lukewarm about it now that I think back to dinner that night, but he still ate most of his and didn't complain. No complaining about a dinner, I take that as a win. This is definitely something I would make again. The husband and I really enjoyed the leftovers for lunch the next couple days, too.


By the way, I calculated this to be 279 calories per serving, assuming seven servings (based on the portions I served myself and the husband).

Pintrest Chicken and Broccoli Casserole

I know I waxed poetic about my love for Pintrest.com recently. I think my addiction is growing...I may need an intervention at some point. There are just so many yummy recipes, crafty projects, neat house ideas, cute outfits. Sigh. Complete time sucker, let me tell you.

Anyway, if you have a Pintrest account, chances are you've seen this recipe. I'm fairly certain everyone I know on Pintrest pinned this at some point in the last couple weeks. I love a good casserole, so I was excited to make it. Plus my brood loves broccoli, and I loved finding a casserole recipe that didn't include cream of something soup. Turns out it's from a blog called Get Off Your Butt and Bake. I haven't checked out many other posts, but I think I probably will. She calls it Chicken Broccoli Supreme. I changed mine up a bit from how the recipe appears on that blog, so the recipe below is how I made it.

Pintrest Chicken and Broccoli Casserole
Source: Adapted from Get Off Your Butt and Bake blog

1 lb. broccoli (steamed slightly if fresh, thawed if frozen)
3 cups cooked chicken breasts – Break up in small pieces
3 cups Grated Cheddar Cheese, divided
1 tube Ritz Crackers
1/2 stick melted butter
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder

SAUCE:
1/3 C. Butter melted
1/4 C. Cornstarch, dissolved in 1/2 C. COLD Water
1/3 C. Chicken Broth
1/4 tsp. Salt
1/4 tsp Pepper
2 Cups skim milk
1 1/2 cups of the above Cheddar Cheese

Directions:

In greased 13×9 pan, layer the broccoli and chicken, then set aside. In saucepan over medium heat, combine the sauce ingredients--melted butter, cornstarch dissolved in water, chicken broth, seasonings, and milk. Stir well, and continue stirring until sauce has thickened. Turn heat down to low, and add 1- 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese. Stir until melted. Pour over the chicken and broccoli. Top with 1- 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese.

Melt the half stick butter, and add the poppy seeds, garlic and onion powders, and stir well. Crush Ritz crackers in large zip-lock bag with a rolling pin. Don’t crush too small. Add crumbs to the melted butter. Sprinkle crumbs over the top of the grated cheese.

Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes, or until hot & bubbly.

*****

I used frozen broccoli for mine, so I just threw some in a microwave steamer for a couple minutes so it wouldn't be frozen. I didn't want to completely heat it for fear it would get soggy in the casserole. The original recipe calls for two sleeves of crackers and an entire stick of butter for the topping. I thought that was a bit much (plus my kids are cracker monsters and had eaten all but the one sleeve of crackers I stashed away, so I really didn't have much choice), so I also cut down the amount of butter too. I was worried it was going to be a bit bland, so I threw in the garlic and onion powders to give it a little kick. It really helped. I think next time I would probably season the chicken a little, too. I baked mine earlier in the day and just threw the chicken breasts in a pan into the oven; in hindsight I should have done something to them so there'd be a little more flavor. You could easily add some seasoning to the sauce as well.

All in all, this was a casserole that we really liked. Boy #1 put up a bit of a stink about eating it, but the rest of us all enjoyed it. I think he was just having an off day--chicken, broccoli, and cheese are all things he normally loves. Who knows with five year olds. Am I right?! This is definitely something I'd make again, especially since most of the ingredients (aside from the crackers, which my family just tears through too quickly) are things I normally have on hand.

Hot Crossed Tuna Casserole

Recently on the parenting message board I belong to there was a discussion about tuna casseroles. It made me think of this one my mom used to make when I was little. It was our neighbor Julie's recipe. It's not your typical tuna, cream of mushroom, noodle casserole either. I was glad my mom knew where to find the recipe because once I started thinking about it, I couldn't stop. I also couldn't stop thinking about cheddar and sour cream potato chips because one of my friends said her mom topped tuna casserole with those. Damn...now I'm thinking about cheddar and sour cream chips again. Sigh. At least they come in a baked variety so I don't have to feel as guilty when I eat them.

Anyway, once my mom gave me the recipe I had to make it within days. Thankfully all I really needed for it were the crescent rolls. I'll admit I was a bit nervous about it since the last time I remembered having it I think my age was in single digits. I liked spam a lot, too, when my age was in single digits, but I doubt I could stomach it now.

Hot Crossed Tuna Casserole

3 cans tuna, drained
1 16 oz. package frozen peas, thawed
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1 c. celery, sliced
1/2 c. bread crumbs
1/4 c. chopped onion
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tube crescent roll dough

Cucumber Sauce:
1/2 c. chopped cucumbers
1 T. chives, chopped
1 T. chopped parsley
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. dill weed
1/2 c. mayo
1/2 c. sour cream

Combine tuna, peas, cheese, celery, bread crumbs, onion, seasonings, and mayonnaise; mix well. Spoon into 106 baking dish. Separate crescent roll dough into 2 rectangles. Press perforations to seal. Cut dough into 4 long and 8 short strips. Place strips over casserole in lattice design. Bake at 350 for 35 to 40 minutes or until crust is brown. Serve with cucumber sauce.

To make sauce, combine all ingredients and mix well. Chill. Pour over top of each serving.

*****

I modified the original recipe slightly; what's posted above is how I made it. I just added more tuna and peas. I like peas. I thought the sauce recipe was kind of funny--sounds like tzaziki (I have no idea how to spell that, by the way) to me, but perhaps in suburban Seattle in the late 70s and early 80s it was easier to just call it cucumber sauce. Who cares, it's tasty.

I'm happy to report that this dish was in fact as tasty as I remembered it. My bff Clementine (she's decided we're too codependent on each either so we've come up with new monikers for each other to make it appear that we have other friends. We really do have other friends, but I thought it would be fun to call her Clementine.) was over one day last week to make plum jam (aptly named Jamfest) and sampled some of the leftovers because she was skeptical when I told her about it. She approved and told me to post it so she could make it. I love me a good casserole, and this totally fits the bill. My kids loved it, too. Boy #2 actually had leftovers of it twice for lunch and cleaned his plate each time he ate it Winner winner, tuna dinner!

Mexican Chicken Casserole

So, part of my blog hiatus--other than being sick all last week--was due to a weekend trip the husband and I took to New Orleans for his cousin's wedding. We had a fantastic time eating and drinking...mostly drinking. ;) I had one of the best foods I have ever eaten in my life...Chargrilled Oysters at Acme Oyster House. Lordy mama, were they ever tasty. Grilled oysters on the half shell with a seasoned butter and romano cheese. Wow. I could have eaten just those the entire time we were there.

Anyway, now it's back to the daily grind since the vacation is over and my cold is gone. I'm still trying to stick to the Pantry Challenge, and so far so good. I had a different casserole planned for Tuesday night, but after putting all the ingredients into the Points calculator on the WW website, I realized it was going to be too many. So I checked out the Cooking Light website for some other chicken casserole ideas. I was excited to find this one as it also gave me a chance to make my own corn tortillas with the tortilla press I got for Christmas!

Mexican Chicken Casserole

1 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 (4.5-ounce) cans chopped green chiles, divided
1 3/4 pounds skinned, boned chicken breasts
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup evaporated skim milk
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/4 cup (2 ounces) tub-style light cream cheese
1 (10-ounce) can enchilada sauce
12 (6-inch) corn tortillas
Cooking spray
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded reduced-fat extra-sharp cheddar cheese
1 ounce tortilla chips, crushed (about 6 chips)

Combine broth and 1 can of chiles in a large skillet; bring to a boil. Add chicken; reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until chicken is done, turning chicken once. Remove chicken from cooking liquid, reserving cooking liquid; cool chicken. Shred meat with two forks, and set aside.

Preheat oven to 350°.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 can of chiles and onion; sauté 3 minutes or until soft. Add reserved cooking liquid, milk, Monterey Jack, cream cheese, and enchilada sauce; stir well. Stir in shredded chicken; cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

Place 4 tortillas in the bottom of a 2-quart casserole coated with cooking spray. Spoon 2 cups chicken mixture over tortillas. Repeat layers twice, ending with chicken mixture. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese and chips. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Nutritional Information
Calories:369 (28% from fat)
Fat:11.4g (sat 5g,mono 3.8g,poly 1.4g)
Protein:35.6g
Carbohydrate:31.3g
Fiber:3g
Cholesterol:79mg
Iron:2.4mg
Sodium:479mg
Calcium:360mg

*****

I think all I changed was using less chicken. Then in turn I added in less of the liquids because I didn't want it to be too saucy. The finished product was FANTASTIC! I could have used more of the sauce. It wasn't dry, but it could have been more saucy. Especially when we've had the leftovers, it could have used a little more sauce. My tortillas came out pretty good for my first attempt at making my own. I don't normally like corn tortillas, but these were good.

This is definitely something I'd make again! The husband and I loved it. I had the boy taste the sauce and he thought it was too spicy, so he got to have a quesadilla instead. It wasn't nearly as spicy once it was all melded together in the casserole, so I think he would have been fine eating it.

Green Bean Casserole

When Jen and I were figuring out the menu for Thanksgiving #2 I had thought about fixing Alton Brown's real-deal-don't-use-canned-soup green bean casserole. Jen said she'd made it, and it wasn't worth the time or effort. Our friend Danielle had made this for our Halloween party, and we both liked it, so Jen got the recipe from her. Turned out it was super easy, and the best part was NO CANNED SOUP! I have no idea where Danielle got this recipe, so I can only give her credit for it. I've always loved green bean casserole, but I thought this was much better than the typical green beans, cream of mushroom soup, french fried onion casserole most people are used to. Whenever I need to make a green bean casserole--which sadly isn't that often--this is what I'm going to make!

Norma Watkin's Green Bean Casserole

1 TBS butter
2 tsp flour
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp grated onion
1 pint sour cream
1/2 lb swiss cheese- grated
2 (16oz) cans green beans
cracker crumbs **(this is where I use the fried onion topping)

Melt butter in saucepan and stir in flour, salt, pepper, sugar, and onion. Add sour cream. Stir until thickened. Stir in cheese until melted. Grease a 1 1/2 qt casserole. Place beans in first, top with cheese sauce, and cover with cracker crumbs. Bake at 400 for 20 min. Serves 8.

*****

Like I already said, this was awesome. Everyone really liked it. I was worried the sauce was going to be a pain to put together, like a normal roux, but it really came together fast. My sauce seemed to separate a little when they cooked, but no one really noticed, even when I mentioned it. I didn't have an entire half pound of swiss cheese, so I used six ounces of that and a handful or so of Monterey Jack. I also used fresh green beans--at the request of my brother--instead of canned. Really I wouldn't have used canned anyway, at the least I would use frozen. This was so yummy...my new go-to Green Bean Casserole!

Chicken Spectacular

Neither of my kids are napping today like they were supposed to, so this is going to be really short. Years ago when I was doing Weight Watchers I stumbled across a WW recipe website that had a ton of great recipes on it. This was one I printed off, and we've loved it ever since. It's one of my most favorite casserole recipes. Have I mentioned I'm on a casserole and crockpot kick lately? I don't know why, maybe because dinner time has been so crazy lately I want something easy in an effort to make things slightly calmer. Anyway, I had originally planned on roasting a chicken on Thursday night (the baby's birthday) and then using the leftover chicken meat to make this casserole tomorrow night. But, I got too excited at the idea of having this casserole because we haven't had it in forever, so I changed it around and just cooked up some chicken breasts to use for it.

Chicken Spectacular

By the way, it's 8 points per serving. I have a hard time sticking to just one serving though. ;)

Chili Cornbread Casserole

I feel like I'm always trying to use up things I have on hand--which must mean I either have entirely too much stuff on hand at any given moment in time or I keep buying stuff even though I don't mean to. And it seems that no matter what I do, whether I'm buying a lot or a little, my grocery shopping trips last an hour, and I spend $80. I need to evaluate my grocery receipt and see what all I got and what could have been reduced. I use coupons when I can--and match them with sales for the maximum savings--but I don't buy that many processed foods or foods for which there are coupons. If any one has any tips on really frugal healthy eating, please let me know!

Anyway, I did have everything on hand for this, which is why it got put on the menu plan for this week. We hadn't had it in a long time, and the cans of chili had been sitting in my pantry for awhile, so I was glad to use them up and clear up some space. We've had it before and liked it, including the boy. It's super cheap to make, fast to put together and bake, and tasty. What a great combination!

Chili Cornbread Casserole
2 cans chili w/beans
Cheese (shredded or sliced)
1 box Jiffy cornbread mix
1 egg
1/3 c. milk

Spread chili in a greased 8x11 dish. Top with cheese. Stir milk and egg into cornbread mix and spread on top. Bake at 400 for 20 minutes or until cornbread is done.

Tater Tot Casserole

this is one of my most favorite meals ever!!! My mom went to a sewing expo not far from my house last week. I invited her for dinner one night, but she said she was just going to head home. The next day she asked what we were having. :) I had originally planned on making this that night, but I got those ahi tuna steaks at Trader Joe's and switched things up. So I told her I'd make it one night this week and she could come for dinner then. She comes over once a week and stays with the kids so I can go grocery shopping alone. Isn't she a saint?! My mom's awesome. So, she's going to come over this afternoon and then just stay for dinner. I love this casserole because it's easy to throw together and so super tasty. Seriously, it's been one of my favorites since I was little.

Tater Tot Casserole
1 lb ground beef
Salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder
Cheddar cheese--sliced or shredded
1 can cream of mushroom soup
Tater Tots

In an 11x7 pan, crumble or spread ground beef. Sprinkle salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder on top of beef. Cover with sliced or shredded Cheddar cheese (NOT American cheese...real cheddar). Spread can of cream of mushroom soup over the cheese layer (this can be tricky business if you've used shredded cheese). Top with tater tots. Cover with foil. Bake at 350 for 1-1/2 to 2 hours, uncovering for last 30 minutes. Or bake at 375 for one hour, uncovering for last 30 minutes.

*****

Mmmmm. Yum. I can't wait for dinner. I like to eat mine with ketchup. I usually use shredded cheese because that's what I always have on hand, but it's much easier with slices. Actually I have a big block of cheddar cheese in the fridge, so maybe I'll slice some of that up to use instead of the shredded. We'll have some kind of vegetable on the side--maybe green beans.

Ham and Pasta Casserole

The baby boom in my MOMS Club continues. Within three weeks of my baby being born, there were two more babies born--also boys. I'm beginning to wonder who exactly all these boys are going to date because no one in our area seems to be having girl babies. My friend Danielle (Hi, Danielle!) had her baby boy three weeks after mine. Our club took her dinner, but the only night that worked for me to take her dinner was already spoken for by the time I responded, so I lived vicariously (not really) and took her dinner on a random night. I asked her what night would be good--I don't just show up randomly at people's homes with dinner in hand. But wouldn't it be sweet if someone did that for you?! Actually I'd only like it if I had seen the person's kitchen first. I don't like not knowing where my food comes from...call me crazy.

Anyway, I gave Danielle the choice between a chicken and rice casserole or this ham and pasta casserole, and she chose the ham. That worked out great because we had ham for Christmas dinner at my mom's house, so I just brought home a bunch of the leftover ham to use. Win-win-win becuase 1) my mom didn't have to eat ham from Christmas until Valentine's Day, 2) I didn't have to buy ham to make this, and 3) Danielle and her family got dinner. I had made this casserole one time before when my friend Andrea had her baby earlier this year (I'm telling you...stay away from this area unless you want to get pregnant) and also made a batch for us at the same time. We really liked it, but it's not often I have ham on hand, so I hadn't made it since then. It really comes together easily, and it's super tasty.

Ham and Pasta Casserole
6 ounces spaghetti, cut into small lengths
2 cups diced cooked ham
3 tablespoons butter
4 to 6 ounces mushrooms, sliced
4 to 6 green onions, trimmed, thinly sliced
4 tablespoons flour
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic seasoned pepper or other pepper blend
dash cayenne or other hot pepper, as desired
salt or more seasoned salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Cook spaghetti in boiling salted water, following package directions. Drain and rinse in hot water; combine with ham in a large bowl.

Heat butter over medium low heat; add sliced mushrooms. Cook, stirring frequently, until mushrooms are tender; add green onions. Stir in flour until blended in thoroughly. Gradually stir in chicken broth and milk. Add seasoned salt, pepper, and hot pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened. Taste and add more salt and pepper, as needed. Stir into the spaghetti and ham mixture; stir in cheese. Bake at 325° for 25 to 30 minutes, until bubbly and cheese is melted.

*****

I don't think I deviated from the recipe at all, although I did add in a bag of frozen peas to give it a little more color. I had said last time I made this that I thought it would be good replacing some of the chicken broth with white wine and using gruyere instead of the cheddar. But, since Danielle and I are both nursing mommies, I figured I'd stick with the original recipe, even though the alcohol would cook out. Really I was just lazy and didn't notice that comment until after I had gone to the grocery store and got the ingredients listed. So next time I have ham, I'll have to try it that way. Oh, and I used penne instead of spaghetti because it's what I had on hand. I'm telling you, I love Safeway's organic whole wheat pasta!!

Since we already ate it, I can tell you it was great. Danielle said they liked it, too. There was only one serving left after dinner Monday night...I think the husband had thirds at dinner, and I had seconds. Plus a couple bites while I was doing the dishes. ;)

Creamy Chicken Casserole

I just got an angry call from Jen B. wondering if I had given up on my blog. I told her no, I've just been lazy and really all I'm doing at this point is trying to come up with ways to get this kid out of me sooner rather than later. I'm so done being pregnant. Cooking and updating the blog both require energy and motivation, and those just aren't things I really have anymore these days. But, I'll try to do better these last couple weeks until baby gets here since I'll have a hiatus after that.

So, like I said in my preivous post, we had some family issues last week, so I didn't do a whole lot of dinner cooking. I did however make this casserole last Monday night I think it was (before the drama started), so I'll start with that. It was in one of my Southern Living cookbooks, and I had written a note by it at some point saying "Really good, really easy." Sweet...I'll take both of those things when it comes to dinners! That's why I love making notes in my cookbooks. Who knows when it was I made it, and it might have gone overlooked had it not been for my note to myself.

Creamy Chicken Casserole
3 cups chopped cooked chicken
1 can cream of chicken soup, undiluted
8 ounces sour cream
1 Tbsp poppy seeds
1-1/2 cups crushed round buttery crackers (40 crackers...I used Ritz)
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted

Combine first four ingredients; spoon into a lightly greased 11x7 baking dish. Combine crushed crackers and butter, and sprinkle over chicken mixture. Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 30 minutes.

*****

Totally easy, see? Definitely somehwat of a trash-erole, but then don't all casseroles have a hint of that by their very nature? We all really liked it. I like finding casserole recipes for 11x7 pans because then you're not eating for a whole week, it's a manageable amount. This is definitely one I'll try to get in rotation since we all liked it, and it's quick and cheap to prepare. It would be a great use for leftover cooked chicken!

Tater Tot Casserole

It occurred to me a couple weeks ago that we haven't had this in FOREVER. Like, seriously forever. I don't even know if it's on the blog, it's been that long. This is one of the casseroles my mom would make when I was little and my folks weren't that well off. Kind of poor people food, but it's awfully good. She refused to make it for a long time, and I remembered it in college or shortly after I graduated, and I've been making it ever since. We were going to have it last night, but we ended up running to Walmart, and by the time we'd get home it was going to be too late to start it, so we just got one of their take and bake pizzas instead. Incidently, their pizzas aren't that bad, and they're pretty reasonably priced.

Tater Tot Casserole
1 lb ground beef
Salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder
Cheddar cheese--sliced or shredded
1 can cream of mushroom soup
Tater Tots

In an 11x7 pan, crumble or spread ground beef. Sprinkle salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder on top of beef. Cover with sliced or shredded Cheddar cheese (NOT American cheese...real cheddar). Spread can of cream of mushroom soup over the cheese layer (this can be tricky business if you've used shredded cheese). Top with tater tots. Cover with foil. Bake at 350 for 1-1/2 to 2 hours, uncovering for last 30 minutes. Or bake at 375 for one hour, uncovering for last 30 minutes.

*****

You can use regular onion instead of onion powder, I just hate chopping up onions and opt for the easy way out. My mom always slices up cheese when she makes this, but I usually have shredded on hand and go with that. Slices are definitely easier than the shredded.

Personally I like a little ketchup on my plate to dip it in, but not everyone goes for that.

Taco Crescent Bake

I've been dying to make this recipe again since the first time we had it a month ago or so. I was going to make it last week when I needed to rearrange my menu, but I didn't have crescent rolls. Hamburger was on sale this week, so I figured it would work out great to have it now. I'm so excited.

Taco Crescent Bake
1 1/2 lbs ground beef
2 cups crushed corn chips
1 can tomato sauce
1 pkg crescent rolls
1 envelope taco seasoning
1 cup sour cream
1 cup shredded cheese

Grease/spray a 9x13 baking pan. Spread out the cresent roll dough along the bottom and sides. Pinch the perforations closed. Crumble a layer of half the chips. Brown and drain the ground beef. Add tomato sauce and taco seasoning to the ground beef and simmer a few minutes. Pour beef mixture over chips. Top with sour cream, cheese and remaining chips. Bake. Enjoy!

*****

I can't remember if I used one pound or the 1.5 pounds of ground beef called for when I made it last time. I had made a comment on my post that I thought I had a half pound of hamburger in the freezer I could use, so my guess is I did use the full amount. I think the taco chips I have are a little stale, but I don't think that will be a big deal. Or maybe I'll be surprised and they're fine.

I'm trying to include more vegetables at dinner because I always forget until we're sitting down to eat. I have some yummy canned corn from Trader Joe's, so I think I'll heat up one of those to go with it. I can't wait for dinner!

Taco Crescent Bake

Okay, I know I have a few recipes to go back and post, but I figure I'll start with what I'm doing tonight and post the others at my leisure. I think there's three I'm missing, and they're all things I've made before, so you aren't missing out on any big things. Plus you got the Peanut Butter Frosting, so no complaining! ;)

This is from the cookbook from my message board. I've wanted to try it for awhile and decided this was the week! I've read good things about it from people who have tried it already. My mom said she had a similar recipe she used to make called Taco Pie or Nacho Pie, something like that.

Taco Crescent Bake
1 1/2 lbs ground beef
2 cups crushed corn chips
1 can tomato sauce
1 pkg crescent rolls
1 envelope taco seasoning
1 cup sour cream
1 cup shredded cheese

Grease/spray a 9x13 baking pan. Spread out the cresent roll dough along the bottom and sides. Pinch the perforations closed. Crumble a layer of half the chips. Brown and drain the ground beef. Add tomato sauce and taco seasoning to the ground beef and simmer a few minutes. Pour beef mixture over chips. Top with sour cream, cheese and remaining chips. Bake. Enjoy!

*****

I'm excited to try it. I heart casseroles. I only have a pound of ground beef, though. Actually I think I saw 1/2 pound in the freezer last night, so maybe I'll thaw that out and include it. Now to get on with dinner since it's already 5:20!

Chicken Casserole Surprise

I forgot to post this last night after I made it. Darn, and I had been doing so well this week! I had planned on making something slightly different but when it came time to start dinner, I realized I didn't have some of the ingredients. Oops. So I came up with this all on my own.

Chicken Casserole Surprise
2-3 cups cooked chicken
1 can green beans (or half a bag of frozen, defrosted)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 cup cheddar cheese
1 box Stove Top, prepared per pacakage directions

Preheat oven to 375. Mix together chicken, green beans, soup, and cheese. Spread in 11x7 casserole dish. Top with Stove Top. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until heated through.

*****

Pretty easy. It was really good, too. I didn't really know how long to bake it for, so I started with 20 minutes and checked it every five minutes from there. The boy didn't really eat it, but he's had a fever off and on for the past couple days, so his eating habits have been a bit unusual. The husband and I both really liked it. And it didn't make an insane amount, so we won't be eating it for days and days.

I won't be posting for a few days...I don't have to make dinner again until Sunday!! Tonight I'm going out with some friends, tomorrow is the husband's last day at his current job so he's going to happy hour with friends, and Saturday he's playing golf and won't be home until after dinner. I guess technically I'll be making something for the boy and me, but it won't be anything fancy. So, enjoy the long weekend, and I'll be back on Sunday!

Chicken Spectacular

We were supposed to go to dinner at our friends Jake and Kim's tonight, but my son (whom I love very much...I've been repeating this all day and you'll see why) woke up at 1:15 AM and never went back to sleep. So we weren't really up for going anywhere tonight since I've been up since literally the middle of the night. I had to come up with a last minute dinner, and while I was looking in the pantry I realized I had everything for this casserole because I was going to make it with chicken leftovers but didn't have enough chicken. So I just cooked up some chicken and voila! This is one of my favorite dinners, and we haven't had it in forever!

Chicken Spectacular
3 cups cooked chicken (about 1 3/4 pounds boneless breasts), cubed
3 cups seasoned long grain and wild rice, prepared
14 1/2-ounce can French-style green beans, drained
8-ounce can sliced water chestnuts, drained
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) lower fat condensed cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup fat free mayonnaise
3/4 cup onion, diced
1 cup fat free Cheddar or cheddar-Jack cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 350º. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except cheese. Place in greased 9- by 13-inch pan and top with the cheese. Bake, uncovered, for 35 minutes. *There are several sizes of\par packages of long grain and wild rice mixes, generally ranging from 4 to 6 ounces. We tested this recipe with a 5-ounce package.

Makes 8 main-course portions.

*****

I ended up freezing about half of it because we are heading out of town tomorrow for my best friend's wedding. It's so good, I didn't want it to go to waste. I've never frozen it before, so we'll see how it turns out.

Creamy Chicken and Rice Casserole

This is one of my favorite recipes for leftover chicken after I cook a whole chicken. It's this and one I found on a Weight Watchers website, so I'll have to do that one this time, although I think I like this one slightly more. I haven't made it recently, and it occurred to me this morning that I think I add something else to it, but I don't remember what that was, so I'll just make it as is. This is from Cooking Light. I'm kind of wondering how it would freeze. I want to start making double of things we like so I can freeze one and have dinners ready to go in the freezer for nights I don't feel like cooking or to take to people who need dinner. Like my friend Benah just got put on bed rest for the next 15 weeks or so of her pregnancy, so it would be nice to have a bunch of stuff I could take to her. (I'm still going to take them dinners, it would just be nice to have things already done.)

Anyway, here's the recipe:

Creamy Chicken-and-Rice Casserole
1 (6.9-ounce) package one-third-less-salt chicken-flavored rice-and-vermicelli mix with chicken broth and herbs
1 tablespoon margarine
2 1/4 cups hot water
Vegetable cooking spray
1 1/2 pounds skinned, boned chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 cup presliced fresh mushrooms
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 cup nonfat sour cream
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 (10 3/4-ounce) can reduced-fat, reduced-sodium condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1/4 cup crushed multigrain crackers (about 6 crackers)
1 tablespoon margarine, melted
1/2 teaspoon poppy seeds

Cook rice mix in a large nonstick skillet according to package directions, using 1 tablespoon margarine and 2 1/4 cups hot water. Remove mixture from skillet; set aside. Wipe skillet with a paper towel.

Coat the skillet with cooking spray, and place over high heat until hot. Add chicken, mushrooms, and garlic powder; sauté 6 minutes or until chicken loses its pink color. Combine rice mixture, chicken mixture, sour cream, pepper, and soup in a bowl; stir well. Spoon mixture into a 2-quart casserole coated with cooking spray. Combine cracker crumbs, margarine, and poppy seeds; stir well, and sprinkle over chicken mixture. Bake at 350° for 35 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

Make-Ahead Tips: You can assemble the casserole ahead of time, omitting the cracker-crumb mixture; cover and chill in the refrigerator or freeze (thaw frozen casserole overnight in refrigerator). Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes; top with cracker-crumb mixture, and bake as directed.

*****

Okay, so as with everything else, I put cheese on top instead of the crackers. I only did that because the crackers weren't on sale the first time I made this, and I already had cheese. Anyway, I also use chicken that's already cooked, but I think I'll saute the mushrooms. I messed up and did the rice in a saucepan instead of a skillet. Oh well.

I think we'll have canned green beans with it. I'm not sure why...no one else in my family eats them, not even the dog. So I guess I'll have green beans, they can just have casserole and salad. :)

Easy Chicken Bake

I had another crockpot dinner planned for tonight, but I realized too late that I hadn't started it early enough. It was similar to the recipe I ended up finding which worked out since I have everything for it. The crockpot one called for chicken, cream of mushroom soup, and Stove Top basically, so I checked the back of the Stove Top box for other recipes. So that's where this came from! (I found the recipe on the Kraft Foods website, so I just copied it from there so I didn't have to type everything!)

Easy Chicken Bake
1 pkg. (6 oz.) STOVE TOP Stuffing Mix for Chicken
1-1/2 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 can (10-3/4 oz.) condensed cream of chicken soup
1/3 cup BREAKSTONE'S or KNUDSEN Sour Cream
1 bag (16 oz.) frozen mixed vegetables, thawed, drained

PREHEAT oven to 400°F. Prepare stuffing mix as directed on package; set aside.
MIX chicken, soup, sour cream and vegetables in 13x9-inch baking dish; top with stuffing.
BAKE 30 min. or until chicken is cooked through.

*****

I'm pretty sure I've made this at some point, back in my working days when I got home from work and was scrounging around for something to make. Sounds super easy, I have everything I need for it, so what more can a girl ask for. The recipe on the box is actually slightly different, but I like this online version better.