Archive for the ‘CASSEROLES’ Category
Yellow Squash Casserole
I found this recipe doing a search as I have a lot of yellow zucchini growing. This is an excellent dish to use up fresh yellow squash or even yellow zucchini, and the variant with adding some meat is highly recommended.
Equipment
- Pan (12 inch)
- Oven
- Baking Pan (9x13 inch)
Ingredients
- 1½ kilos fresh yellow squash, or yellow zucchini, (3½ lb)
- ¼ cup butter, (½ stick / ¼ block)
- 1 large sweet onion, diced
- salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1 can condensed cream of chicken soup, (10½ oz / 298 g)
- 227 grams sour cream, (8 oz), Shortcut
- 2 cups Sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded, (8 oz / 226 g)
- 1½ cups French fried onions, Shortcut
Instructions
- Prep the squash, small size can be just sliced into ¼ inch thick rounds. For large diameter, slice into ¼ inch rounds then cut slices in half. And for larger size, slice into ¼ inch rounds then cut slices into quarters. (I used 2½ of my garden grown yellow zucchini.)
- Melt the butter in a large non stick pan (12 inch would be perfect), when hot, add the onion. Sauté onion until translucent.
- Add the sliced squash on top of the onions, turn heat to low, cover the pan but stir after a few minutes and often after that. The squash will steam and they will begin to release their water.
- When the squash cooks down a bit and water has been released, season squash with salt and black pepper as desired.
- Continue to cook down the squash until the water is mostly cooked out.
- When the squash is nearly falling apart, drain well in a colander.
- Preheat your oven to 180° C (350° F) and grease a 9x13 baking pan with butter or cooking spray.
- Add the squash to a large mixing bowl, then add the sour cream and soup.
- I added a variant, I diced a can of spam, and added that.
- Mix together, taste, season with salt and black pepper as desired.
- Pour squash into the prepared pan and spread out evenly.
- Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil, top with the Cheddar cheese, then the French fried onions.
- Return to the oven, uncovered, for 10 minutes or until the onions are lightly browned.
- Serve and enjoy.
Notes
Low cost per serving, and very little cost if growing the squash yourself, which is what I used here.
Shortcuts: Sour Cream, French Fried Onions.
Variants: 1. Add diced sautéed smoked sausage, ham, or spam. 2. Use condensed cream of mushroom soup in place of the chicken soup. 3. Yellow zucchini work perfectly and I am 99% sure that green zucchini would be just as perfect.
Chili Cheese Fry Casserole
I came across this recipe while researching recipes that use tater tots, and I am glad I did! This is a delicious casserole that goes together quickly and is quite economical.
Equipment
- Oven
- Baking Pan (9x13 inch)
Ingredients
- 500 grams ground beef, (1 lb)
- 2 cans chili, with beans, (15 oz / 425 g), Shortcut
- 1 bag tater tots, frozen, (32 oz / 2 lb / 907 g)
- 2 cups Cheddar cheese, shredded, (8 oz / 226 g)
- spring onion, sliced, white and green parts, for garnish
- sour cream, as desired, for serving, optional, Shortcut
Instructions
- Heat a large non stick pan on medium heat and cook the ground beef, chopping it up with a spatula as it cooks. Cook until no pink is visible. Drain fat.
- Stir the chili into the beef. Preheat your oven to 190° C (375° F) and grease a 9x13 baking pan with butter or cooking spray.
- Pour chili mixture into the prepared baking pan and spread out evenly.
- Layer the tater tots evenly over the chili.
- Bake uncovered for 35 minutes or until the tots are starting to brown and the casserole is bubbly. Sprinkle cheese over the tater tots.
- Bake for another 10 minutes to melt the cheese in.
- Top with spring onion, serve and enjoy. Optionally, top servings with a dollop of sour cream.
Notes
Low cost per serving if using ground pork and the shortcuts for the chili and sour cream.
Shortcuts: Chili, Sour Cream.
Variant: 1. Use ground pork in place of beef. 2. Use 4 cups of your own homemade chili or from the shortcut, making sure it is a thick type of chili.
Sausage Breakfast Bake
This recipe is from a cookbook titled Campbell's Creative Cooking With Soup, printed in 1985. As you read this recipe, the ingredients list will have Options and you can choose an option from the list below the ingredients. This recipe sounds very good, on my to make and taste list. Links to the Shortcuts are listed in the Recipe Notes section. These photos are from one variant of this recipe, and it is delicious!
Equipment
- Oven
- Baking Pan (7x11 inch)
Ingredients
- 340 grams Sausage Option, (12 oz)
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 can Soup Option, (10½ oz / 298 g)
- 2 eggs
- ¾ cup Liquid Option
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- butter, as needed for serving
- Topping Option, as needed for serving
OPTIONS
Sausage - Use 1 Item
- pork sausage links, Shortcut
- smoked sausage links
- Italian sausage, links, cut into 2 inch lengths, Shortcut
Soup - Use 1 Item
- condensed cream of mushroom soup, Shortcut
- condensed Cheddar cheese soup, Shortcut
- condensed cream of celery soup, Shortcut
Liquid - Use 1 Item
- apple juice
- milk
- chicken broth
Topping - Use 1 Item
- honey
- maple syrup
- fruit preserves
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180° C (350° F) and grease a 7x11 baking pan with butter.
- In a large non stick pan, add the Sausage Option and water and place on medium heat, cover and cook for 5 minutes, then uncover and continue cooking to brown the sausage and cook them through. When fully cooked, remove to paper towels to drain. I used the pork sausage links option.
- In a small mixing bowl, add the Soup Option and eggs and stir to mix well. I used the cream of mushroom soup option.
- To the soup mixture, slowly stir in the Liquid Option and oil, stirring until completely mixed together. I used the apple juice.
- In a medium mixing bowl, add the flour, cornmeal, sugar, and baking powder. Whisk together.
- To the flour mixture, add the soup mixture. Stir together until just moistened.
- Pour into the prepared baking dish and spread out evenly. Arrange the sausages on top and push slightly into the batter.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until the top springs back when lightly touched with your finger.
- Use a spatula to cut and serve with. Serve with butter and Topping Option. Enjoy. After the photo I used the honey option.
Notes
Low cost per serving if using the Shortcuts.
Shortcuts: Pork Sausage, Italian Sausage, Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup, Condensed Cheddar Cheese Soup, Condensed Cream of Celery Soup.
Tater Tot Casserole II
My Mom really likes tater tots and this is her method of preparing this, and it is delicious. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Notes section.
Equipment
- Baking Pan (9x13 inch)
- Oven
Ingredients
- 750 grams ground beef, (1½ lb)
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup, (26 oz / 737 g Family Size can), Shortcut
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 can peas, drained, (2 cups frozen, thawed)
- salt and pepper, as desired, to taste
- 1 bag tater tots, frozen, (32 oz / 2 lb / 907 g)
Instructions
- For the condensed soup, preferred is using 1 Family Size (26 oz) can, as an alternate you can also use 2 regular size cans (10.5 oz each) mixed with ¼ cup milk.
- In a non stick pan on medium heat, cook the ground beef and onion, breaking up the beef with your spatula as it cooks. Season with salt and pepper as desired. Cook until there is no more pink visible, drain off any fat.
- Preheat your oven to 190° C (375° F), grease a 9x13 baking pan with butter or cooking spray.
- Add beef to the prepared baking pan and spread out in an even layer.
- Sprinkle the peas over the beef in an even layer.
- Spread the condensed soup over the peas in an even layer. If using 2 cans of regular size soup, empty both into a mixing bowl and mix with ¼ cup of milk in addition to the sour cream, then spread over the peas in an even layer.
- Lay the tater tots in a single layer on top of the soup.
- Bake uncovered for 35 minutes or until the tots are starting to brown and the casserole is bubbly.
- Serve and enjoy.
Notes
Low cost per serving.
Shortcut: Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup.
Variants: 1. Use ground pork in place of ground beef. 2. Use Italian sausage and pork sausage (50/50 mix) in place of beef. (Highly recommended.) 3. Top the soup mixture with shredded or sliced cheese before adding the tater tots. 4. If using the triangle hash browns, increase cooking time to 1 hour due to the hash browns being larger in size.
Super Supper
This is a casserole from years ago, my Mom gave me this recipe she clipped from a newspaper probably 30 years ago. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
- 1 kilo lean ground beef, (2 lbs)
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup, Shortcut
- 2/3 cup water
- 1 bag tater tots, (32 oz / 2 lb / 907 g)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180 C (350 F). Grease with butter a 9x13 baking dish.
- Break up the ground beef and place in the bottom of the baking dish in an even layer. Sprinkle the onion over the beef.
- In a mixing bowl, mix together the soup and water, then pour over the beef and onion.
- Add the tater tots to the top.
- Bake for 45-60 minutes. As the tots start to brown push them down with a fork into the sauce.
- When the beef is cooked through and the tots browned, serve and enjoy.
Notes
Low cost per serving.
Shortcut: Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup.
Clipped from a newspaper about 30 years ago.
Chicken & Stuffing Casserole
Sounds like a good casserole, on my to make and taste list. There is several shortcuts to make for additional savings. Links to the shortcuts are listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
- 1 box Stove Top stuffing, chicken flavor, Shortcut
- 500-1000 grams chicken breasts, cut into small pieces, (1-2 lbs)
- 1 can condensed cream of chicken soup, Shortcut
- 1/3 cup sour cream, Shortcut
- 1 bag frozen mixed vegetables, thawed, (1 lb / 500 g)
- 4-5 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
- salt and pepper, as desired
Instructions
- Prepare the stuffing as directed on the box.
- Preheat your oven to 200 C (400 F), grease a 9x13 baking pan with butter or spray with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, add the chicken, soup, sour cream, vegetables, garlic, and salt and pepper as desired. Stir together.
- Pour the chicken mixture into the prepared baking pan and spread out to an even layer.
- Spread the stuffing over the chicken in an even layer.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
- Serve and enjoy.
Notes
Low cost per serving. Make the shortcuts for savings.
Shortcuts: Stove Top Stuffing, Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup, Sour Cream.
I received this recipe from my Mom, Joann Thayer.
United States.
United States.
Tater Tot Casserole I
I am not a fan of tater tots, but since I am still in the states, tater tots are a common ingredient, and there is even a fast food hamburger joint that has tater tots as a side instead of fries. My Mom really likes tater tots so I made this mainly for her, but I will say, it is delicious. When I return to Thailand I will make this but use homemade hash browns instead of tater tots. Links to the shortcuts are listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
- 500 grams ground beef, (1 lb)
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup, Shortcut
- 1/2 cup sour cream, Shortcut
- 2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard
- 2 1/2 cups Cheddar cheese, shredded, divided
- salt and pepper, as desired, to taste
- 1 bag tater tots, (32 oz / 2 lb / 907 g)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 200 C (400 F), grease a 9x13 baking dish.
- In a non stick pan on medium heat, cook the ground beef and onion, breaking up the beef with your spatula as it cooks. Cook until there is no more pink visible. Drain off any fat. (I am cooking ground pork for this.)
- While the beef is cooking, to a large mixing bowl, add the soup, sour cream, milk, garlic powder, mustard, 1/2 cup of the Cheddar cheese, and mix together.
- To the mixing bowl, add the drained beef and the mixed vegetables. Mix together. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish and spread out evenly.
- Lay the tater tots on top of the beef mixture.
- Sprinkle the remaining 2 cups of Cheddar over the tater tots.
- Cover the dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes or until bubbly.
- Serve and enjoy.
Notes
Low cost per serving.
Shortcuts: Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup, Sour Cream.
Variant: 1. Use ground pork in place of ground beef.
Inspired by Spend With Pennies and the link to this recipe is here. United States.
Yellow Squash Casserole
This is an excellent low carb casserole and is a nice twist on yellow squash.
Ingredients
- 4 cups yellow squash, chopped
- 1/2 cup spring onion, sliced
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup whipping cream
- 1 cup Cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 cup ham, chopped, heaping cup
- salt and pepper, as desired
- spring onion, sliced, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 200 C (400 F). Grease with butter an 8x8 baking dish.
- Place the squash in a pan and add water to almost cover the squash. Bring to a simmer and cook the squash for 5 minutes.
- Drain the water and return the pan with the squash to heat and add the spring onion and ham. Season with salt and pepper as desired, saute for 1-2 minutes. While the squash is sauteing, add the egg and cream to a bowl and lightly mix together with a fork.
- Add the squash to the prepared baking pan and pour the egg mixture over the squash.
- Sprinkle the Cheddar cheese over the squash.
- Place in the oven uncovered and bake for 20 minutes or until browned and bubbly.
- Sprinkle with sliced spring onion, serve, and enjoy.
Notes
Low cost per serving.
Variant: 1. Add chopped cooked chicken or bacon in place of the ham.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
Bruschetta Chicken Bake
This recipe comes from a box of Stove Top Stuffing, and I will say this does sound good, and easy. The stuffing can also be made from a shortcut, which would certainly be a cost saver in Thailand. On my to make and taste list. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
- 1 can diced tomatoes, undrained, (14.5 oz / 411 g)
- 1 box Stove Top stuffing, chicken flavor, (6 oz box), Shortcut
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
- 750 grams chicken breasts, boneless, skinless, (1 1/2 lbs)
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 cup Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 200 C (400 F). Get out a 9x13 baking pan.
- Cut the chicken into bite size pieces, place in the bottom of the baking pan. Sprinkle the chicken with the basil and cheese.
- In a mixing bowl, add the tomatoes, the stuffing mix, water, and garlic. Stir until the stuffing is just moistened.
- Spread the stuffing mixture over the chicken.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
- Serve and enjoy with sides of your choice.
Notes
Low cost per serving.
Shortcut: Stove Top Stuffing.
Adapted from a recipe on a box of Stove Top Stuffing.
Sausage Breakfast Casserole
This is a make the day before casserole (or at least 3 hours prior to baking) and it comes from a good friend. This is on my to make and taste list very soon. Links to the shortcuts are listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
- 14 slices bread, see Step 1.
- 500 grams bulk Italian sausage, (1 lb), Shortcut
- 3 spring onions, sliced
- 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
- 1/2 green bell pepper, diced
- 2 cups Italian blend cheese, shredded
- 2 cups Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
- 6 eggs
- 3 cups milk
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, Shortcut
- black pepper, to taste, as desired
Instructions
- For the bread, slice off the crusts then slice the bread into cubes. Spread the cubes out on a baking sheet and allow them to air dry on the counter overnight. You can also place the bread cubes in a 150 C (300 F) oven for about 10 minutes to slightly dry them, do not toast them or it will change the flavor of the casserole.
- Heat a non stick pan and add the sausage, cook, breaking it up with your spatula, until no pink remains. Drain off any excess fat and set aside to cool.
- While you are ready to assemble the casserole, grease a 9x13 baking dish with butter. Spread 1/2 of the bread cubes in the baking dish, top that with 1/2 the sausage, then 1/2 the spring onion, then 1/2 the peppers, then 1/2 the cheese.
- Repeat the layers, starting with the bread cubes and ending with the cheese.
- In a mixing bowl, add the eggs, milk, Italian seasoning, and black pepper as desired. Whisk to combine.
- Pour the egg mixture over the casserole, making sure the bread cubes have all been covered. Cover with foil and place in the fridge overnight, or at least 3 hours.
- When you are ready to bake the casserole, simply remove from the fridge, leave covered, and place in your oven. Preheat the oven to 180 C (350 F). Bake for 65 to 75 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cut into squares, serve, and enjoy.
Notes
Low cost per serving and for the best value, use the shortcuts to make the sausage and seasoning as well.
Shortcuts: Italian Sausage, Italian Seasoning.
Variants: 1. Use breakfast sausage in place of Italian. 2. Use left over hamburger or hot dog buns in place of loaf bread. 3. Use ham in place of or with the sausage.
Inspired by Spend With Pennies and the link to this recipe is here.
United States.
United States.