Egg and Tortilla Breakfast Casserole

 This hearty Egg and Tortilla Breakfast Casserole is a fun spin on eggs for breakfast, or dinner!

Stuffed Cabbage Casserole {Flashback Friday}

This delicious and easy casserole has all the components of a stuffed cabbage roll, but without the extra work!

Tuna Noodle Casserole

This Tuna Noodle Casserole is a delicious and hearty meal.  It's comfort food at its finest!

I feel like I've been in a dinner rut for a while.  Mike and I tend to eat a lot of the same meals for dinner every week.  Honestly, it gets a little boring, but it's pretty easy!

A few weeks ago I decided it was time to make something different.  I had some wedges of garlic herb cheese that needed to be used.  After looking through my cupboards I discovered that I had the necessary ingredients for Tuna Noodle Casserole.  While a meal both Mike and I grew up with, I had never prepared it myself.

This meal was simple to make, and quick enough for me to make after work!  Mike and I both really liked the casserole.  In fact, while we were eating, Mike told me I should take pictures for my blog!  So, after dinner I did just that!  I hope you enjoy this meal as much as we did.

Tuna Noodle Casserole

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

16 ounces (1 box) elbow macaroni noodles
2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons flour
1 cup milk
1-3/4 cups chicken broth
4 wedges garlic herb cheese (Laughing Cow or similar)
1 can mushrooms, drained
1 cup frozen sweet peas
3 cans tuna, drained
2 Tablespoons Parmesan cheese

1.  Cook noodles according to box directions until al dente.

2.  Melt the butter in a large saucepan.  Add flour and whisk to form a roux.

3.  Whisk in the milk and chicken broth.  Stir frequently until the sauce begins to thicken.

4.  Add in the cheese wedges and stir until they're melted in.

5.  Add the cooked noodles, mushrooms, sweet peas, and tuna and stir together.

6.  Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top of individual servings before eating.

Shepherd's Pie

Shepherd's Pie is Mike's favorite hot dinner.  It's a meal that he grew up eating, and his mom often made it for him and his dad.  In nearly 3 years of marriage, I'd never made him Shepherd's Pie.  Oops!

We were talking with a friend a couple weeks ago and both he and Mike got on the subject of Shepherd's Pie and how much they loved it.  I decided that it was high time I learn how to make Mike's favorite dinner!  I didn't have a recipe to go off of, so I just put the basic ingredients together that I knew were involved.  It all worked out, because Mike loved the Shepherd's Pie.

This recipe made a large dish full of the casserole.  It was enough for our dinner, plus 3 or 4 lunches for Mike to take to work.  This meal would also freeze well if you have too many leftovers!  I put the casserole together the night before we planned to have it for dinner and stored it overnight in the fridge.  The next day I had Mike put it in the oven and dinner was almost ready when I got home from work.

Shepherd's Pie

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef, browned (drain the grease)
1 12 ounce package frozen mixed vegetables (I used Bird's Eye)
2 cans Cream of Mushroom Soup
5 medium potatoes, cooked and mashed
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
salt

1.  In a 9x13" casserole dish, combine the cooked ground beef, mixed vegetables, and Cream of Mushroom soup.

2.  Spread the mashed potatoes over the meat and vegetable mixture.

3.  Bake at 350 for 40 minutes, until heated through.

4.  Sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese on top of the potatoes and return to the oven for about 5 minutes, until the cheese is melted.

Serve hot, with salt to season as needed.

Pizza Casserole

I have great in-laws!  I know there are a lot of people who might think I'm crazy for saying that...Everyone has heard stories of terrifying mother-in-laws.  But, I really am truly blessed to have married into a great family.  I know Mike would say the same about my parents.  We all get along really well.  In fact, our parents often will get together without us and play cards.

One great thing about everyone getting along so well is that we are able to combine a lot of holidays.  The first year we were married, Mike and I hosted Thanksgiving dinner at our house for both of our families.  My parents hosted the next year and we hosted again this past Thanksgiving.  We also spend our Easter Sundays with the combined families.  This year, we'll be enjoying time together at my parent's house.  It's wonderful to be able to spend the time together so we don't have to figure out whose house we'll be at, or have to eat multiple Easter dinners in one day.

Mike and I also make a point of eating one meal a week with our parents.  We go to my parent's house every Sunday after church for lunch and games.  Every Thursday night we go to Mike's parent's house for dinner.  Not only does it mean I get a night off from cooking, it also means that we get to spend extra time with our families.  We've been doing this since we got married 2-1/2 years ago and I don't imagine we'll end this tradition any time soon.

This pizza casserole is one of Mike's most requested dishes when we eat at his parent's house.  It's fairly simple to make and it feeds all 4 of us, plus enough leftovers for Mike to take to work the next day.  (Bonus!)  It has all the components of pizza--pepperoni, cheese, and tomato sauce, mixed with ground beef and pasta.  This recipe was passed on to us from Mike's mom and I'm sure it will always be a family favorite!

Pizza Casserole

Serves 6

Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef
1 pound egg noodles
1 (14 ounce) can pizza sauce
1 (10.75 ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 (3 ounce) package of pepperoni
additional "toppings": diced ham, bacon bits, mushrooms etc

1. In a frying pan, over medium heat, brown beef until there is no pink left. Drain grease.

2. Cook noodles according to the directions on the box until al dente.

3. Mix pizza sauce and soup together in frying pan with ground beef.

4. In an oven safe dish, mix together noodles and meat mixture.

5. Stir in 1.5 cups of mozerella cheese, most of the pepperoni, and any additional toppings you desire.

6. Cover top of noodle mixture with remaining pepperonis and 1/2 cup cheese.

7. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes or until cheese is melted and casserole is heated through.

Serve hot.

Quinoa Cordon Bleu Casserole

It's cold outside.  Like really, really cold.  The high yesterday was 9 degrees, but the wind chill made it feel like 9 below.  Today isn't supposed to be much better.  We're in the midst of this Arctic blast, plus we're getting slammed with non-stop snow showers.  Most of the snow is lake effect, and since we live real close to the lakeshore, we're getting the brunt of the storm.  It's been snowing since Sunday night and there are no real signs of it letting up any time soon.  Most schools and a lot of businesses were closed yesterday, and after driving to work, it was obvious that no-one should be on the roads unless they had to be.  It's pretty nasty outside! 

When it's so cold out, I usually turn to warming foods, like soups and hot casseroles.  I actually created this recipe last year, and it's been waiting in my "to post" file for a long time.  Can any other bloggers relate?  Now that I've finally gotten around to posting this recipe, I feel bad that I haven't posted it before.  The pictures really don't do it justice (it looks like a blob of mush...oops!), but this casserole really is delicious. 

I've always loved Chicken Cordon Bleu.  It was one of my most requested dinners when I was a teenager.  I also love quinoa.  I had some leftover from another quinoa dish and decided to try a Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole.  It was so easy to make, and I really like it because it uses ingredients I already have in the house.  It's a warm and comforting meal, perfect for a frigid day like today!

Quinoa Chicken Cordon Bleu Bake

Serves 6

Ingredients:
3 cups cooked quinoa
2 cups cooked chicken, diced
1 can condensed cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup cubed ham
4 slices Swiss cheese

1.  In a mixing bowl, combine the condense soup, milk, and sour cream until smooth.

2.  Stir in the quinoa and diced chicken.

3.  Pour into a greased 8x8" baking pan.

4.  Place cubed ham on top of the quinoa.

5.  Place the Swiss cheese slices on top of the ham.

6.  Bake at 350 for 30 minutes, until heated through.  Serve hot.

Pierogi Casserole

I love when the meals I throw together on a whim turn into our favorite dishes!  I stocked up on pierogies a while back when they were on sale at an irresistible price.  They make a simple and delicious dinner or side dish.  One night after work I just threw together a few ingredients that I found in our fridge, and I ended up with this casserole.  Mike and I were both big fans of it!

I ended up having to make this pierogi casserole a second time because I didn't think to take a picture the first time.  Is anyone else frustrated by daylight savings time?  It's dark when I leave for work, and dark by time I get home.  There is absolutely no natural light for me to use for pictures during the week, and it frustrates me because I've really been working on improving my photography and the lack of daylight doesn't help me!

Okay, enough of that.  This casserole comes together quickly and is versatile enough that you could add any meat you want. I used turkey because we still have leftovers from Thanksgiving.  The first time I made this, I used bacon bits.  I think ham would also work well--let me know what you use!

Pierogi Casserole

Serves 6 

2 (12 count) boxes pierogies
1 (8 ounce) container Italian Herb cream cheese
1/4 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup diced chicken or turkey
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1.  Layer pierogies into a 9x13" casserole dish.

2.  In a small bowl, mix together the cream cheese, chicken broth, and turkey.

3.  Pour the sauce evenly over the pierogies.

4.  Sprinkle with the cheese.

5.  Bake at 350 for 45 minutes, until the casserole is heated through.

Stuffed Cabbage Casserole

When I was in Romania, I was served a lot of traditional Romanian foods.  My favorites were mici (sausages) and sarmales, which are stuffed cabbage rolls.  They are absolutely delicious and I've never had anything as good in the states.

I came across this recipe for stuffed cabbage casserole and I thought it looked and sounded delicious.  It also looked like it would take a lot less time to make than stuffed cabbage rolls.  I was right--it was very easy to put together.  It doesn't taste exactly like a sarmale, but it was the closest I've ever had here. 

Mike and I both enjoyed this meal, but we thought the ratio of cabbage to filling was off, so I've adjusted the recipe to reflect that.  This recipe makes a large pan full, so we had lots of leftovers.  It freezes well so I have enjoyed quite a few lunches from this dish!

Stuffed Cabbage Casserole

Makes a 9x13" pan, about 10 servings

You will need:
1 pound lean ground beef (I used ground turkey)
2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
1 large onion, chopped fine
1 Tablespoon finely minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon sweet Hungarian paprika  
1 can (14.5 oz.) petite diced tomatoes with juice
1 can (15 oz.) tomato sauce
1/4 cup water
1 head green cabbage, coarsely chopped into 1 inch pieces
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
2 cups cooked brown rice
2 cups low-fat mozzarella cheese

1.  Cook ground beef in a large frying pan until it's browned and cooked through.  Remove from the pan and set aside.

2.  In the same pan, add 1 teaspoon of the olive oil and the onion and cook until the onion is translucent and starts to turn brown.  It will take about 5 minutes.

3.  Add in the minced garlic, thyme, and paprika and cook for 2 minutes.

4.  Add in the diced tomatoes with juice, tomato sauce, water, and cooked ground beef.  Simmer until slightly thickened, about 15-20 minutes.

5.  While the meat mixture simmers, heat the remaining 1 teaspoon of olive oil in a large frying pan.  Add the chopped cabbage and cook until the cabbage is wilted and about halfway cooked.  Season with salt and pepper.

6.  When the meat mixture has thickened, stir in the cooked brown rice.

7.  Grease a 9x13" casserole dish and layer half the cabbage, half the meat mixture, remaining cabbage, and remaining meat mixture.  Cover with foil.

8.  Bake at 350 for 40 minutes, until the edges begin to bubble.

9.  Remove foil and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.  Bake uncovered for 20 more minutes.

Serve hot.

Source:  Skinny Taste