LAYERED PIZZA SPAGHETTI CASSEROLE

INGREDIENTS:

2 Jars of pasta sauce (I used Bertolli 5 Cheese Pasta Sauce)

1 pound lean hamburger

2 cloves of garlic, minced

16 oz. of spaghetti pasta (I used Ronzini Garden Delight)

2 – 3 cups mozzarella cheese, grated

1 package Canadian Bacon, or

1 package pepperoni

1 sausage link, cut into wheels

DIRECTIONS:

Boil water for pasta in a large pot  In a sauteuse pan, brown hamburger.  Remove excess grease (I use several paper towels).  Add desired pasta (marinara sauce) to hamburger.  Add minced garlic to sauce and hamburger mixture.  Season as desired.  Let simmer on low heat.  Add spaghetti pasta to the boiling water (add a little olive oil to the water).  Boil as directed on the pasta box. Drain Spaghetti Pasta.  In a large mixing bowl, combine sauce (reserving a little bit to pour on top of the pasta) and pasta with a pasta server.  Into a large rectangular baking dish, add the contents of the mixing bowl.  Pour reserved sauce onto the pasta mixture.  Add the grated cheese on top of the sauce, thoroughly covering the sauce.  Top with the pepperoni and sausage or the Canadian Bacon.  Bake in a  350 degree F oven for 20 – 30 minutes until the cheese has melted and the casserole is hot all the way through.  For best results, cut  square servings out of the baking dish with a knife, then use a spatula to plate it.

Ingredients

Browned Hamburger

Meat Sauce

Pasta and Meat Sauce in Mixing Bowl

Cheese Layer

Canadian Bacon and Pepperoni Layer

Ready to Cook

Just Out of the Oven

AFTER THANKSGIVING CASSEROLE

Adapted From: From: http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Tastes-Like-Thanksgiving-Casserole/Print

8 Servings Prep: 30 min. Bake: 30 min.

Ingredients            :                                                           (Half recipe measurements in parentheses)

6-8 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks                             (3 -5 large potatoes – 4 ½ pounds)

3/4 cup chopped onion                                                                                    (1/3 cup onion)

1/2 cup butter, cubed                                                                          ( ¼  cup butter)

2 packages stovetop stuffing mix and seasoning, do not cook                 (1 package stuffing)    

2 cups chicken broth, hot                                                                    (1 cup hot chicken broth)

4 cups cubed cooked turkey                                                               (2 cups cooked turkey)

1 cans (10-3/4 ounces each) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted (1 can cream of chicken soup – or less***)

1 teaspoon garlic powder                                                                    (½ teaspoon garlic powder)

3/4 cup sour cream,                                                                            (3/8 cup sour cream)

4 ounces cream cheese, softened                                                      (1 – 2 ounces cream cheese, softened)

1 cup butter                                                                                         (½ cup butter, cubed)

1/2 teaspoon pepper                                                                           (¼ teaspoon pepper to taste)

1/4 teaspoon salt                                                                                 (1/8 teaspoon salt to taste)

1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese                               (3/4 cup = 3 oz. shredded cheddar cheese)**

**I use reduced fat cheese, 2% milk fat                                             ****Bacon Crumbles

*** The soup can be eliminated from the recipe, or at least reduced

Directions:

Place potatoes in a stock pot and cover with water.  Bring to a boil.

Reduce heat; cover and cook for 10-15 minutes or until tender.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute onion in butter until

tender. Remove from the heat.

In a large bowl, combine the stuffing and Stir in hot broth (microwave it for a few minutes) and onion mixture.

Transfer to a greased 13-in.x 9-in. baking dish. (9-in X 9-in for half recipe)

In another large bowl, combine the turkey, soup, garlic powder and

3/8 cup sour cream; spoon over stuffing mixture. Drain potatoes;

mash in a large bowl. Beat in the cream cheese, butter, pepper, salt and

remaining sour cream; spread over turkey mixture. Sprinkle with

cheese.   ****ADD BACON CRUMBLES on TOP of CHEESE for extra decadence

Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until heated

through. Yield: 8 servings.  (4 servings for a half recipe)

Ingredients

Onion

Stuffing Mix

Turkey

Stuffing with Broth 

Stuffing with Broth and Onion

Stuffing Layer

Turkey, Soup and Sour Cream

Turkey and Soup Layer

Boiled Potatoes

Adding Butter and Cream Cheese to Potatoes

Mashed Potatoes

Just Out of the Oven

Ready to Serve

Ready to Eat

TOMATO SOUP CASSEROLE - COMFORT FOOD FOR FALL

Served with a Homemade Dinner Roll and Steamed Broccoli

Ingredients:

1 pound lean ground beef

1 medium onion, chopped

½ tablespoon butter

Salt  - 3 shakes

Pepper – 5 shakes (season to taste)

3 cans tomato soup (or 1 family size can)

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

¼ cup brown sugar

1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, cubed

6/8  of a 12 oz. box of pasta (any shape).  I used veggie bow ties.

For Crispy Topping:

1/3 of an 18 oz. box of corn flakes (crushed)

2 tablespoons butter

Serve with grated cheese (cheddar, Monterey Jack), etc.

Directions:

Boil water for the pasta and cook pasta as directed.  Drain Pasta.

Chop the onion in approximately 1 centimeter square pieces.  Melt butter on medium low heat in a sauteuse pan and add the onions.  Sauté onions.  Add the ground beef and crumble.  Add the salt and pepper.  Turn burner to High and cook until well done.  Add the salt and pepper.  Turn the burner back to medium low and add the tomato soup, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar and cream cheese.  Cook until creamy and well blended (about 10 minutes).  Add the pasta.  Mix well.

Pour the sauce and pasta into a 9X13-inch casserole dish.  In a medium bowl, melt 2 – 3 tablespoons butter.  Crush the corn flakes and add to the butter.  Stir until well blended and the corn flakes are slightly moist.

Pour corn flake mixture on top of the pasta mixture covering the entire top.  Cook for 20 minutes in a 350 degree F oven.  Serve with grated cheddar cheese.

Ground Beef and Sauteed Onion

Sauce Ingredients

Sauce Cooking

With Pasta

Ready for Cornflakes

Ready to Bake

Just Out of the Oven

Yum!

CHICKEN PARMESAN CASSEROLE BAKE

Adapted from: http://foodwishes.blogspot.com/2008/02/end-of-chicken-parmesan-as-you-know-it.html

Ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil (I used garlic olive oil)

6  cloves garlic, chopped

5 or 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts – (use thin chicken breasts or use a meat tenderizer and pound it into thinner chicken breasts)

½ cup shredded Parmesan Cheese

2 or 3 cups marinara sauce(I use 1 jar of Prego 3 Cheese Marinara Sauce or Bertoli 4 Cheese Marinara)

¼ cup chopped basil

8 oz. mozzarella shredded (I use low fat 2% milk fat cheese)

4 oz. Parmesan Grated or shredded

1 ½  (5 oz. packages)  garlic croutons (so 7.5 oz. croutons) (I used crustinis or Texas Toast Croutons)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.** Or 275 to slow bake

Peel about 6 garlic cloves and chop them into tiny pieces.

Add the garlic and olive oil to a sauteuse pan.  On medium heat, stir and cook until the garlic begins to be toasted. 

Pour the toasted garlic olive oil into a 9X13” baking dish.

Then, put the chicken breast over toasted garlic olive oil. 

Layer ½ cup of shredded parmesan over the chicken.

Next add the marinara sauce and spread on top of the parmesan. 

Then add the chopped basil. 

Next layer 4 oz. of mozzarella and 2 oz. of grated parmesan onto herbs

o     (half of the cheese). 

Then add the croutons if you are not slow baking it. 

Top with the remaining cheese. 

Bake at 350 degrees for 35 min. – 1 hour.  Check the chicken with a meat thermometer to be sure the meat is done and properly cooked all the way through.  **Or, slow bake the chicken, parmesan, sauce, basil, and first layer of cheese and change the temperature in the oven to 275 degrees Fahrenheit. Cook for 2 – 2 ½  hours.  About 15 minutes before serving, add the croutons and the second layer of cheese and increase the oven temp to 375.  If you would like crunchier croutons or crustinis, put an additional layer on and top with a little more cheese.  Be sure to check the chicken with a meat thermometer.

*If desired serve with spaghetti pasta and extra marinara sauce.  I use vegetable Fettuccini.

Making the roasted garlic olive oil

roasted garlic olive oil in baking dish

chicken ready to pound

pounded chicken

pounded chicken in the baking dish

Parmesan Cheese Layer on Chicken

Marinara Layer

Basil Layer

Cheese mixture layer

Cheese and Crouton Layer

Just Out of the Oven

Plated and Ready to Eat