Sausage Pasta Bake

1/2 lb rigatoni
1 lb pork sausage
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 onion, chopped
1 tsp chili powder
1 can (14 ox) chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 tsp sugar
1 tbsp chopped fresh basil
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
5 1/2 oz mozzarella cheese, cubed

1. preheat oven to 375. Bring a saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to the package directions. Drain and set aside. Spray a large ovenproof dish with nonstick cooking spray. Cut the sausage into slices.

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan and saute the onion and garlic until browned (about 10 min). Stir in chili powder. Cook for 1 min longer. Stin in the tomatoes, broth and sugar. Bring to boil, cover an simmer for 10 min. Add pasta, basil, salt and pepper and stir.

Transfer pasta mixture to the prepared dish. Sprinkle the mozzarella on top. Bake pasta until golden and bubbly (20-25 min). Serve immediately.

Stroganoff Casserole

Make this one but don't bake it 'til you are ready to eat....just freeze and then take it out and bake it. If you bake it frozen it will need more time though...but it is good.

12 oz wide egg noodles -- cooked and drained
1 lb lean ground beef (used ground turkey)
1 small onion -- chopped
1 bell pepper -- chopped
2 ribs celery -- chopped
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
1 (4 oz) can sliced mushrooms -- drained (left these out)
1/2 tsp oregano
1 (8 oz) carton sour cream
1 (12 oz) container small curd cottage cheese (didn't have - used more 8 oz more sour cream)
1 tsp garlic salt\
2 cups (8 oz) shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese -- divided

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Brown beef, drain and return to skillet. Stir in onion, bell pepper, and celery. Cook covered, over med-high heat, stirring occasionally, 15 min or till veggies are tender. Stir in wine and next 3 ingredients.; set aside. Stir together sour cream, cottage cheese, and garlic salt. Add noodles, tossing to coat.

Spread half the noodles in a lightly greased 13x9" baking dish. Top with half the meat mixture, 1 cup mozzarella, and 1/4 cup Parmesan. Repeat with remaining noodles and meat. Bake, covered, at 350 for 20 min. Sprinkle with remaining cheeses, and bake, uncovered, 10 min

Mexican Chicken Rolls

1/2 cup fine dry bread crumbs

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon pepper

8 skinless boneless chicken breast halves

1 package Monterey jack cheese with peppers ( 8 oz) cut crosswise into 8 equal slices

1/3 cup butter or margarine melted

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Combine first 5 ingredients in a shallow dish; set aside. Place each chicken breast between 2 sheets of wax paper; flatten to 1/4 inch thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin. Place a slice of cheese on each chicken breast. Roll up from short side, and secure with wooden picks. Dip chicken rolls in butter, and dredge in bread crumb mixture. Place rolls, seam side down,
on a baking sheet. Cover and freeze until firm; transfer to a large heavy-duty plastic freeze bag and return to freezer. Freeze up to 6 months.

To serve, place frozen chicken rolls in a lightly greased 11- x 7- x 1 1/2-inch baking dish; bake at 400 ° F for 30 minutes.

Hamburger Sour Cream Casserole

1 1/2 lbs. hamburger (substituted ground turkey)
1 onion, chopped
1/4 green pepper, chopped
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup (used cream of celery)
1 (12 oz.) can whole kernel corn, drained
3 c. (5 oz.) cooked noodles
1 c. sour cream
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 can French fried onions

In a skillet, combine meat, onions, and pepper and brown; drain fat. Add all ingredients except French fried onions. Place in 9x13 inch baking dish and top with French fried onions. Bake, uncovered, for 25 to 30 minutes, or until bubbly, at 350 degrees. Freezes well, but do not freeze with French fried onions.

Swiss Chicken Casserole

6 chicken breast halves, skinned & boned
6 (4x4") slices Swiss cheese
1 (10 3/4 oz.) can cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1/4 c. milk
2 c. herb seasoned stuffing mix (didn't have any - used breadcrumbs and just sprinkled on top)
1/4 c. butter, melted

Arrange chicken breasts in a lightly greased 12 x 8 x 2 inch baking dish. Top with cheese slices.

Combine soup and milk; stir well, spoon over chicken. Sprinkle with stuffing mix. Drizzle butter over crumbs. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes.

To Freeze: Prepare as above and place in foil-lined dish. Cover tightly and freeze.

To defrost and reheat: Thaw casserole in refrigerator. Cover and reheat at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

Hot Chicken Casserole

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2 c. cooked chicken or turkey
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 1/2 c. finely cut celery
2 tbsp. minced onion
1 c. slivered almonds (Ryan hates nuts. Left these out)
1 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. lemon juice
1 c. Hellmann's mayonnaise
4 hard-boiled eggs
2 c. cooked rice (He also isn't a rice fan. Used elbow noodles instead)
1 1/2 c. potato chips

Mix all ingredients together and place in long greased casserole. Cover top with 1 1/2 cups crushed potato chips when ready to bake. Bake in 400 degree oven for 30 minutes in a flat dish, for 45 minutes in a deep dish.

Freezes well before or after baking. If preparing to freeze, leave off the chips. Serves 15-18.

Sicilian Casserole

• 1 lb. ground beef (I always substitute ground turkey for ground beef)
  
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
• 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/2 tsp. dried Italian seasoning
• 2 cups elbow macaroni
• 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, cubed
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided

PREPARATION:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brown ground beef and onion in heavy saucepan, stirring to break up ground beef. Add green bell pepper when beef is almost cooked; continue to simmer until beef is done. Drain well. Add tomato paste, tomato sauce, water, and dried Italian seasoning and stir well to blend. Let simmer for 10 minutes to blend flavors.

Meanwhile, cook elbow macaroni as directed on package. While macaroni is cooking, combine cream cheese and milk in medium bowl. Cook in microwave on medium power for 2-3 minutes, stirring once halfway through cooking. Remove from microwave and stir with wire whisk until sauce thickens and blends to form a smooth sauce. Drain noodles and add to cream cheese sauce along with sour cream and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese; stir to combine.

In 2 quart casserole dish, place all of cream cheese mixture. Top with all of the ground beef mixture and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes until casserole is bubbly.

To freeze, add 1 Tbsp. cornstarch to the cream cheese sauce. Prepare casserole as directed, except instead of baking, chill in refrigerator. Wrap well and freeze up to 3 months. To thaw and reheat, thaw casserole overnight in refrigerator. Bake, covered, for 25-35 minutes 5 minutes longer until bubbly. 8 servings

Chicken Potato Casserole

This super simple and delicious recipe is perfect to freeze ahead of time, then thaw and bake on nights when you just can't face the kitchen.

INGREDIENTS:

• 10 oz. can condensed reduced fat and sodium cream of chicken soup
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 cups cubed cooked chicken
• 1-1/4 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
• 3-1/2 cups frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed
• 1-1/2 cups frozen peppers and onions, thawed
• 1-1/4 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1-1/2 cups crushed potato chips

PREPARATION:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine soup, sour cream, milk, chicken and 1-1/4 cups cheese. Spread three-quarters of this mixture in a greased 2-quart baking dish.

Sprinkle hash browns and peppers and onions over the top of the casserole and press down lightly, then top vegetables with remaining soup mixture. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and potato chips.

Bake casserole, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes or until bubbly. Let stand for 5-10 minutes before serving. 8 servings

To freeze, assemble casserole as directed, except do not thaw potatoes, peppers, or onions and do not sprinkle with potato chips. Wrap casserole in freezer wrap or heavy duty foil and freeze. Reserve potato chips in pantry. To thaw and bake, let thaw overnight in refrigerator. Uncover and bake at 350 degrees F for 60-70 minutes until bubbly. Then top with crushed potato chips and bake 5-10 minutes longer.