Lasagna

Lasagna (from Worldwide Ward Cookbook: Mom's Best Recipes)
1 lb. ground beef
1 T. olive oil
1 tsp. hot pepper flakes
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 13-oz. can tomato paste
2-3 T. sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
1 28-oz. can whole tomatoes
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese, grated, plus 3 T.
1 16-oz. container of cottage cheese (or ricotta)
2 c. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
2 c. mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 pkg. oven-ready lasagna noodles

In a skillet, brown beef; drain and set aside. In a large saucepan, combine oil and hot pepper flakes. Cook about 1 minute. Add garlic and cook for another minute. Add tomato paste and 2 1/2 cans water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Add sugar to desired sweetness and salt and pepper to taste. Process tomatoes tomatoes in food processor until smooth and add to saucepan. Add onion. Cook for about 30 minutes, until sauce starts to thicken. Add 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese and ground beef. Cook another 10 minutes. Cool 10 minutes.

Place small layer of sauce in 9x13-inch casserole dish. Place 5-6 lasagna noodles in dish. Cover with sauce. Sprinkle half the cheddar and mozzarella cheese over sauce. Place another 5-6 noodles over this layer. Spread sauce over noodles and top with the cottage (or ricotta) cheese. Spread evenly. Place another layer of 5-6 noodles and spread with remaining sauce. Top with remaining cheddar and mozzarella cheese and sprinkle with 3T. Parmesan cheese. Bake at 350 for about 1 hour, or until bubbly and noodles are soft. Allow to cool before cutting. Makes 12 servings.

This turned out great! It was fun making my own meat sauce. Although I didn't like the amount of sugar I added. I would half that amount next time. I also didn't have oven-ready noodles so I had to cook those. I'm always afraid the oven-ready noodles won't cook all the way!

Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta

Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta
10-12 oz penne pasta
2 cups coocked and chopped chicken
3/4 cup cooked and crumbled bacon
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
2 cups milk
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. garlic salt
1/3 cup ranch dressing
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain.

Melt butter in sauce pan, add flour and stir to combine. Once you have your roux, add milk. Stir constantly until sauce thickens. Remove from heat and stir in garlic salt, onion powder and ranch dressing until well combined.

Add chicken, bacon and cheese to sauce and stir evenly to combine.

Bake in 9x13 baking dish at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes.

I really enjoyed the flavor of this dish! It's always good to try new flavors and this did not disappoint. I wasn't sure how well this would turn out but I loved it!

Eggs Benedict Casserole

Eggs Benedict Casserole

12 ounces Canadian bacon, chopped
6 English muffins, split and cut into 1-inch pieces
8 eggs
2 cups 2% milk
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon paprika
HOLLANDAISE SAUCE:
4 egg yolks
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 cup butter, melted

Directions
1. Place half of the Canadian bacon in a greased 3-qt. or 13x9-in. baking dish; top with English muffins and remaining bacon. In a large bowl, whisk eggs, milk and onion powder; pour over top. Refrigerate, covered, overnight.

2. Preheat oven to 375°. Remove casserole from refrigerator while oven heats. Sprinkle top with paprika. Bake, covered, 35 minutes. Uncover; bake 10-15 minutes longer or until a knife inserted near
the center comes out clean.

3. In top of a double boiler or a metal bowl over simmering water, whisk egg yolks, cream, lemon juice and mustard until blended; cook until mixture is just thick enough to coat a metal spoon and temperature reaches 160°, whisking constantly. Reduce heat to very low. Very slowly drizzle in warm melted butter, whisking constantly. Serve immediately with casserole. Yield: 12 servings (1-2/3 cups sauce).

Nutritional Facts: 1 piece with about 2 tablespoons sauce equals 286 calories, 19 g fat (10 g saturated fat), 256 mg cholesterol, 535 mg sodium, 16 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 14 g protein.

We loved this casserole! This was a great change-up! I've never made a Hollandaise sauce before and it didn't turn our perfectly but tasted great all the same. It's always fun for me to try new cooking techniques. Even the kids liked this recipe. Wahoo!

Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo Casserole

Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo Casserole

2 1/2 cups uncooked pasta (not quite the entire box- I used shells, but any kind would work! Whole wheat works great too)
2 cups broccoli (fresh or frozen)
1 1/2 lbs chicken breasts, cooked and chopped into bite-size pieces
1 (16 oz) jar Alfredo sauce
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Prepare pasta as directed on package. Remove from heat, drain water, and dump pasta in a large bowl.
If using fresh broccoli, cut into bite-size pieces and place in a microwaveable-safe bowl. Add 2-3 tablespoons of water and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Microwave for 3-4 minutes or until it reaches your desired crunchiness. If using frozen broccoli, prepare according to directions on package. Once finished cooking, place broccoli in the bowl with the pasta.
Dump the chicken, alfredo sauce, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese and mozzarella cheese into the bowl and mix with the pasta and broccoli. Season with garlic salt, basil, and salt and pepper.
Spray a 9x13" pan with non-stick cooking spray and dump pasta/chicken mixture inside.
In a small bowl, mix the bread crumbs, melted butter, and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese together. Sprinkle over the top of the casserole.
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the edges are bubbling.

I feel like this meal had a lot of potential. I always think I'm going to like bottled Alfredo sauce but I never do. Homemade would be so much better. I also used canned chicken and fresh would have been better. But I LOVED that bread crumb topping. Yum! 

Tip: When I made the Ranch pasta salad I cooked double the amount of pasta and stored half in the fridge until I made this casserole.

Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo Casserole Recipe

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 1 Recipe total Servings 15
Calories 335
Total Fat 13.77 g
Saturated Fat 7.53g
Monosaturated Fat 4.32g
Polysaturated Fat 1.92g
Total Carbohydrate 26.2 g
Fiber 0.7 g
Sugar 0.5 g
Protein 22.5 g
Cholesterol 87.48 mg
Calcium 219 mg
Iron 2.17 mg
Potassium 227 mg
Sodium 330 mg
Zinc 1.7 mg
Thiamin 0.29 mg
Riboflavin 0.3 mg
Niacin 5.7 mg
Folic Acid 52.6 Ug
Vitamin B6 0.3 mg
Vitamin C 10.8 mg
Vitamin B12 0.9 Ug
Vitamin A 388 IU
Vitamin E 0.26 mg
Vitamin K 1.9 Ug
Points 8
Points Plus 8
*The nutritional values are determined by the total ingredients divided by the number of servings for each recipe. Serving sizes may vary. The formula used here for points was obtained from public sources and is an empirical match to Weight Watchers calculators, but it is not an "official" Weight Watcher's calculator.

Read more at http://myrecipemagic.com/recipe/recipedetail/chicken-and-broccoli-alfredo-casserole-recipe#Z0vabyoJbXl2fud8.99

Baked Ziti (Freezer Meal)

Baked Ziti

1 pound dry ziti pasta

1 onion, chopped

1 pound lean ground beef (season with pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and

minced garlic)

2 (26 ounce) jars spaghetti sauce

8 slices provolone cheese

1 1/2 cups sour cream

6 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add ziti pasta, and cook

according to package directions. Drain.

2. In a large skillet, brown onion and ground beef over medium heat. Add spaghetti

sauce, and simmer 15 minutes.

3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 2 8x8 inch pans with non-stick cooking

spray. Layer as follows in each pan: 1/4 of the ziti, 1/4 of the sauce, 4 slices of

Provolone cheese, 1/2 of sour cream,  1/4 of ziti, 1/4 mozzarella cheese and 1/4 of

sauce mixture. Top with grated Parmesan cheese and remaining mozzarella cheese.

4. Bake covered for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until cheeses are melted. Each 8x8 serves 4-6.

 

We LOVED this meal!  And I'm so excited to have another one waiting in the freezer whenever we want it! This would be such a great meal to make for sick neighbors or for new moms.

Ravioli Casserole

Ravioli Casserole

3-1/2 cups spaghetti sauce
1 package (25 ounces) frozen cheese ravioli, cooked and drained
2 cups (16 ounces) 4% cottage cheese
4 cups (16 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Spread 1/2 cup of spaghetti sauce in an ungreased 9x13 baking dish. Layer with half of the ravioli, 1-1/4 cups of sauce, 1 cup cottage cheese and 2 cups mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 30-40 minutes or until bubbly. Let stand for 5-10 minutes before serving. Yield: 6-8 servings. 

 

 

Nutrition Facts: 1 serving (1 cup) equals 553 calories, 25 g fat (14 g saturated fat), 96 mg cholesterol, 1,294 mg sodium, 48 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 34 g protein. 

 

 

This was basically a meatless lasagna. And we all liked it! Even Brandon! "Mmm. Good loodles." 

Twice Baked Potato Casserole

Twice Baked Potato Casserole

·         5 lb. russet potatoes

·         10 slices bacon

·         8 oz. cream cheese

·         ½ c. unsalted butter, melted

·         1 c. sour cream

·         ¼ c. chives, minced

·         2 ½ c. cheddar cheese, grated

·         2 t. kosher salt

·         ½ t pepper

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Peel potatoes, and cut into 1-inch chunks. Place in a large saucepan, and add enough cold water to cover by about 2 inches. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, and reduce to a simmer. Cook until tender and easily pierced with a paring knife, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a colander to drain; return to pan, cover, and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add bacon, and cook until crisp and browned, turning once. Transfer to paper towels to drain; let cool, and crumble into pieces.
3. Using a fork, mash the potatoes in pan until light and fluffy. Add the cream cheese, butter, and sour cream, and stir until combined and smooth. Add the chives, 2 cups cheddar cheese, half the bacon, salt, and pepper. Stir until well combined.
4. Transfer to a buttered 3-quart baking dish. Top with remaining ½ cup cheddar cheese. Bake until top is slightly golden and potatoes are heated through, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven; garnish with remaining bacon. Serve immediately. Yield: 10 servings

We LOVED this casserole. However, we felt like it needed a little more flavor. So we drizzled some ranch dressing on top and it was SO good. Maybe you could add some ranch dressing mix to the recipe. Enjoy!

Chicken and Broccoli Casserole

Chicken and Broccoli Casserole

6 boneless chicken breasts (about 1 pound)
broccoli - fresh
2 cans cream of chicken soup
Parmesan cheese
cheddar cheese, grated
1 cup milk
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup miracle whip
4 teaspoons lemon juice

Boil chicken in water. Then cook broccoli until tender (crisp).
Spread broccoli over bottom of 9x13 baking dish. Cut up (or shred) chicken and place it on top of the broccoli.
Combine soup, milk, mayo and miracle whip. Heat in saucepan until warm. Remove from heat and add cheddar cheese and lemon juice. Stir until cheese melts.

Pour sauce over chicken and broccoli. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Cover with foil and bake @ 350F for 30 minutes; then uncover and bake an additional 30 minutes.

I liked this recipe. A good go-to one, I think. I did, however, make a few changes.

1. We didn't have any mayonnaise and I didn't want to buy a whole jar of it just for one recipe. So I substituted with 1 cup of sour cream instead of the mayo and miracle whip.
2. I bought frozen chopped broccoli. I ended up cooking about 5 cups, which I thought was a lot. I would double that. So that would be a big family sized bag of broccoli or maybe 2 heads of fresh broccoli or something.
3. This recipe didn't say how much cheddar cheese to use. I ended up using about 1 1/2 to 2 cups of cheese. Probably didn't need that much, but I like cheese :)
4. We didn't have any lemon juice either. But I did find a whole lemon in the fridge. So I used my Food Network knowledge to juice a lemon. Microwave for about 10 seconds. Roll lemon on counter to release juices. Cut lemon in half width-wise and squeeze. This used the juice of half a lemon. 

Also, I didn't really feel like this was a one dish meal. I still felt hungry and like it needed something else. It was also a little runny so I'm wondering if this isn't supposed to go on top of rice or noodles or something. Or maybe adding more broccoli would fix that problem. I'm not sure. Enjoy!