Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole - total time 1 hour

Hmm, chicken cordon blue... I actually cannot recall ever having it before.  Something so infamous in the cooking world that the largest culinary school is named after it!  So it is about darn time!

I blame the ham... never been a fan (not with green eggs, in a box, or with a fox).  I don't know what it is about it though.  I am picky about bacon too.  It has to be a certain thickness and have a crunch... otherwise I won't eat it (no, bacon doesn't need to go on everything, ick).  However I haven't had a dish with prosciutto that I didn't like... but if you're making something with prosciutto, odds are you're making something special.

So let's make something special!  Turning chicken cordon bleu into a casserole takes out all of the pounding the chicken flat, rolling it all together, and then somehow securing it without having the cheese melt out.  It also takes the pan frying/searing out of the equation... so the not-so-healthy dish gets a little lighter.

Oh, and get some good swiss cheese!  The swiss cheese I have had in the past didn't have much flavor (so I usually avoid it in favor of goudas and white cheddars).  But the swiss I picked up was delicious and so creamy.  I couldn't stop snacking on it while I waited for the chicken to cook!  :)

Buffalo Chicken Casserole - total time 1.5 hours

Not sure what it is about boys, football, and buffalo chicken... but they always go together.  Maybe it is just my boy, but buffalo chicken is his favorite.  Make a meal that has buffalo chicken and is the quintessential meat and potatoes and you have a meal that finds the way to your man's heart through his stomach. 

1 lb chicken

3 cups potatoes, grated

1 onion, chopped

.5 cup cream cheese

.5 cup sour cream

.5 cup buffalo sauce

.5 cup shredded cheese (colby)

spash of milk

.25 cup panko

2 green onions

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cook chicken on medium heat.

2.  Grate potatoes, remove excess moisture with a towel.  Combine potatoes, onions, cream cheese, sour cream, cheese, splash of millk, and buffalo sauce in mixing bowl.  Shred chicken with forks and add to mixture.  Scoop out into casserole dish.  

3.  Top with panko bread crumbs and bake for 1 hour.  Turn to broil for one minute to get the bread crumbs crispy.  Sprinkle green onions on top and serve.

Chicken Enchilada Casserole - total time 45 minutes

Another opportunity to open up a jar of tomatoes from the garden.  It smells like summer every time, which is certainly welcome when I can see how cold it is outside from the kitchen window.  Although I would rather be wearing shorts and enjoying the sunshine, winter allows everything to renew itself in the spring.  Can't wait to get out in the garden again... the seed catalogs are showing up in the mail.

If you love enchiladas, you will love this casserole... and it is super easy!  Swap the chicken for spinach to make it vegetarian.

1 lb chicken

1 cup rice

1 medium onion, chopped

1 cup shredded cheese, divided

.5 cup cream cheese

10 oz. tomato juice

1 tbsp chili pepper

1 garlic clove

1 tbsp olive oil

salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare rice according to package.  Cook chicken.

2. In a medium sized pot, heat olive oil, add onions and garlic, and saute for three minutes.  Add in tomato juice and chili pepper.  Simmer until sauce thickens, about eight minutes.

3. Shred chicken using forks and add to medium sized mixing bowl.  Add cream cheese, rice, .5 cup shredded cheese, enchilada sauce, salt, and pepper and mix together.  Transfer into casserole dish and top with remaining shredded cheese.

4.  Bake for 25 minutes.  Eat as a casserole with sour cream and green onions or serve with tortillas.

Spinach Artichoke Bake - total time 45 minutes

Casseroles are so simple and great for weeknight meals.  All the time is really hands off time in the oven.  Just combine all the ingredients and get it cookin'.  This one is no exception!

1 cup rice

1 lb chicken, chopped

1 jar artichoke hearts

1 lb spinach, chopped

2 medium tomatoes, chopped

1 cup cheese, shredded

.5 cup cream cheese, softened

.5 cup panko bread crumbs

1 tsp red pepper flakes

salt & pepper

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cook rice according to package.  Cook chicken in pan (five minutes each side).  

2.  Combine rice, chicken, artichokes, spinach, tomatoes, cheese, cream cheese, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper in a mixing bowl.  Scoop into casserole dish and top with panko.  Bake for 25 minutes.  Broil for 2 minutes to get the panko a little toasty.

Green Bean Casserole (no cans) - total time 45 minutes

When you think about how quickly the milk in your fridge expires, it makes you think about those things in your pantry that have milk in them... how do they last in cans for years without expiring?!  Tons of preservatives.  While preserving things can be good, it is always healthiest to eat food at its freshest... which means it cannot come from a can!  This is a makeover of one of the most notorious canned food culprit.

3 tbsp butter

1 onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 tbsp flour

2 cups milk

1 lb green beans

.333 cup panko

.25 parm, grated

garlic chives

salt & pepper

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Melt butter in pot.  Add onions and garlic, saute four minutes.  Stir in flour one tablespoon at a time.  Add milk slowly, whisking continuously.

2.  Steam green beans.  Stir green beans and creamy mixture together and spoon into casserole dish.  Yope with panko and grated parm.

3.  Bake for 25 minutes.  Top with chives and serve!

Tomato Gratin - total time 30 minutes

This recipe is great for an abundance of ripe tomatoes and tastes a little like fried green tomatoes (minus the frying and add sun-ripening).  

3 medium-large tomatoes

.5 cup bread crumbs

.25 grated parm

olive oil

basil, salt & pepper

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cut tomatoes into thick slices and place into casserole dish. 

2.  Combine breadcrumbs, parm, basil, salt, and pepper together and sprinkle over the tomatoes.  Drizzle olive oil on top, place in oven for ten minutes.

3.  Change to broil for one minute.  

Creamy Squash Casserole - total time 40 minutes

I wanted make a casserole using as many things from my CSA delivery as possible.  After looking through a few different casserole recipes, I just started combining some of my favorite flavors.  Squash, onions, and spinach came from my CSA and the parsley came from my backyard.  Summer time is delicious!

2 cup summer squash, chopped

1 onion, chopped

1 pound chicken breast

1 cup spinach

1 cup rice - I used two kinds because I only had a half cup of red rice left

2 garlic cloves, diced

.333 cup cream cheese

.333 cup cream fraiche or sour cream

.5 cup shredded white cheese

1 tbsp butter

.25 cup shredded parm

fresh parsley

salt & pepper

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cook rice according to package.  Saute the squash in a pan with butter, onion, garlic, salt, and pepper. 

2.  After the squash is cooked, move pan contents into a large mixing bowl.  Add chicken to pan to cook.  Add cream cheese, cream fraiche, and shredded cheese to bowl.  The warmth of the cooked squash will help melt the cream cheese to make sure it is well distributed.  Add cooked rice and cooked chicken (chopped) to the bowl as they finish (my rice finished first).  Add chopped spinach and stir until well combined.

3.  Transfer mixture to casserole dish, top with shredded parm.  Put in the oven for 25 minutes.  Top with parsley and serve!

Artichoke Strata - total time just over one hour

I had never made a strata before this one.  An interesting concept of soaking bread in egg, milk, and cheese to create a pretty complex flavor.  I think I might add spinach next time to make a 'spin dip strata'.

* tbsp butter
* .5 chopped onions
* 2 minced garlic cloves
* 1 jar artichoke hearts
* 1.75 cups milk
* 4 eggs
* 5 cups cubed bread (rustic loaf)
* .25 cup parm
* .75 crumbled feta
* 1 tbsp italian herb mix
* salt & pepper

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Heat butter in pan, add onions and saute for 3 minutes.  Add garlic and artichokes, cook 10 minutes.
2. While artichokes cook, combine milk and eggs in large bowl.  Add salt, pepper, and herbs.  Toss in cubed bread, stir to coat bread.  Allow 10 minutes to saturate.
3. Add artichoke mixture to bowl, stir, move to casserole dish, and put in oven for 45 minutes.

Chicken Enchilada Casserole - total time a little over an hour

This recipe was good, but not a favorite.  It is kind of like a Mexican lasagna, not sure what I could change to make it better...

2 cups crushed tomatoes

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 onion, chopped

1 jalapeno, chopped

.33 cup cilantro, chopped

1 lime, juiced

Combine all above ingredients and broil on baking sheet for 20 minutes.  Set aside.

1 lb. chicken, cut into 1 inch pieces

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup of corn kernels

1 cup diced zucchini

1 cup chopped bell pepper

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tbsp chili powder

10 oz. canned green chile enchilada sauce

4 large tortillas

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup feta cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Cook chicken in pan.  When chicken is cooked thoroughly, add vegetables and saute for 5 minutes.  Add garlic, chili powder, and green enchilada sauce, saute 2 additional minutes.

3. Spread half of the broiled salsa on the bottom of a casserole dish.  Layer tortillas to cover casserole dish.  Add half of the pan mixture, half of the cheeses, and then spread the remaining broiled salsa.  Add an additional layer of tortillas.  Add remaining pan mixture and remaining cheese.  Bake for 25 minutes.

Spinach, Turkey, & Artichoke Casserole - total time 50 minutes

Casseroles are nice for weekday dinners because there is some work upfront, but then you can relax while it bakes.  It works as an entree or a side, add more veggies and omit the turkey to make it vegetarian.

1 cup risotto rice

12 oz. chopped turkey breast

1 chopped bell pepper

.333 cup chopped onion

3 cups chopped spinach

10 oz. chopped artichoke hearts

.75 shredded mozzarella cheese

.5 cup panko bread crumbs

.25 grated parmesan

16 oz. alfredo sauce - butter, chopped onion, flour, milk

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray casserole dish with cooking spray.

2. Prepare rice according to package.

3. Add oil to pan, cook turkey, peppers, and onions for ten minutes.

4. In a sauce pot, melt butter, add chopped onions, saute for three minutes.  Add two table spoons of flour while constantly stirring.  Add 1.5 cups of milk slowly while stirring.  Bring to boil.  Reduce heat, cover, simmer for five minutes or until it thickens to sauce.

5. Mix turkey, peppers, onions, rice, spinach, artichokes, alfredo sauce, and shredded cheese together in a bowl.  Transfer to casserole dish.  Sprinkle panko and parmesan over top, spray carefully with cooking spray.  Bake 15 minutes.