Baked Spaghetti

Sounds pretty amazing doesn't it?  That is because it is!  For this recipe I made my own spaghetti sauce from my tomatoes and basil in my garden, so that made it extra scrumptious!  If you do not want to make your own sauce, I am sure your favorite jarred sauce would do just fine.

Homemade Roasted Garlic Basil Tomato Sauce
-10-15 tomatoes from your garden (Roma, Heirloom, Big Boys)
- Fresh or dried basil
- Garlic salt
- Olive oil
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Cut each tomato in half and put on a baking dish.  Sprinkle tomatoes with garlic salt and drizzle with olive oil. Roast tomatoes for 40 minutes.  Let tomatoes cool for about 10 minutes, then blend in blender.  I added my dried basil during this part of the process and then canned the sauce.  If you are making the same day, then just blend and save for later.

Baked Spaghetti
- Homemade tomato sauce (or store bought if you do not want to make your own)
- 1/2 lb of sweet italian sausage
- 1/2 lb of hot spicy italian sausage
- 3 TB brown sugar
- Italian seasoning to taste
- Black pepper to taste
- Dried basil
- 1/2 small yellow onion
- Spaghetti noodles
- 1/2 C shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 C shredded cheddar cheese

 
Dice your small onion and saute on medium heat until soft.  Add meats and brown.  Add your tomato sauce and all other seasonings and bring to a boil.  Boil for 5 minutes and then reduce heat and simmer for 6 hours.  I know it seems like a REALLY long time, but trust me, it allows the flavors to blend well.  I usually cook my sauces for 2 days.  Once the sauce has cooked for what seems like forever, then remove from heat and preheat your oven to 425 degrees.

While your oven is preheating, cook your noodles, but make sure they are about 2 minutes under cooked from al dente.  Drain noodles and add to a baking dish, and then pour sauce over it.  Mix sauce and noddles well and add cheese to the top. Bake for 20 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly.

Amazing Chicken Pot Pie

This is Jeff's favorite recipe and has been a hit with the family for sure!!

Ingredients

• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cubed
• 1 cup sliced carrots
• 1 cup frozen green peas
• 1/2 cup sliced celery
• 1/3 cup butter
• 1/3 cup chopped onion
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon celery seed
• 1 3/4 cups chicken broth
• 2/3 cup milk
• 2 (9 inch) unbaked pie crusts

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C.)
2. In a saucepan, combine chicken, carrots, peas, and celery. Add water to cover and boil for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, drain and set aside.
3. In the saucepan over medium heat, cook onions in butter until soft and translucent. Stir in flour, salt, pepper, and celery seed. Slowly stir in chicken broth and milk. Simmer over medium-low heat until thick. Remove from heat and set aside.
4. Place the chicken mixture in bottom pie crust. Pour hot liquid mixture over. Cover with top crust, seal edges, and cut away excess dough. Make several small slits in the top to allow steam to escape.
5. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until pastry is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Three-Cheese Macaroni

Ingredients

• 1 large egg
• 1 12-ounce can evaporated whole milk
• Pinch of cayenne pepper
• Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/3 cups grated muenster cheese (4 ounces), plus 4 deli-thin slices (1 ounce)
• 1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese (2 ounces)
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese (1 ounce)
• 1/2 head cauliflower, cut into small florets (4 cups)
• 4 cups medium pasta shells (9 ounces)

Directions

Whisk the egg, evaporated milk, cayenne, nutmeg, and salt and black pepper to taste in a bowl. Toss the grated cheeses in a separate bowl.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the cauliflower and cook until almost falling apart, about 7 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a bowl. Add the pasta to the same water and cook until al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup cooking water. Preheat the broiler.

Combine the egg mixture and the grated cheeses in the empty pot and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the cheeses melt and the sauce begins to thicken. Remove from the heat and add the cauliflower. Puree with an immersion blender until smooth and light (you can also use a regular blender). Stir in some of the reserved pasta water until creamy.

Toss the pasta in the sauce; season with salt and black pepper. Transfer to a shallow casserole dish and top with muenster slices. Broil until golden brown, about 5 minutes.

Cowboy Casserole

We made this for my niece's bridal shower. It came out so yummy. It is the perfect breakfast all in one pan!

2 bags of frozen shredded hash browns

1 lb cooked ham (deli honey ham)

4 cups shredded cheese

6 eggs

1/2 pint half and half (1 cup)

salt and pepper

1 large yellow onion, sauteed

1 lb cooked bacon

Add both bags of hash browns in a 9x13 pan for 1 hour at 400, it will look like it's too much, but they cook down. Mix eggs, half and half and salt and pepper. I cooked my bacon and then sauteed the onions in the bacon grease until they were tender. Layer bacon, ham, cheese, and onion on top of the cooked hash browns. Pour egg mixture over top and cook for 45 min at 350.

(If you choose to make this the night before do everything except pour the egg mixture over the casserole in the morning. I still prepare this the night before so that I don't have to do it in the morning.)

Chicken and Rice Casserole

Ingredients

• 2 (14 1/2-ounce) can green beans, drained and rinsed
• 3 cups diced cooked chicken
• 1 medium onion, diced and sauteed
• 1 (8-ounce) can water chestnuts, drained and chopped
• 1 (4-ounce) can pimentos, drained
• 1 (10 3/4-ounce) can condensed cream of celery soup
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 (6-ounce) box long-grain and wild rice, cooked according to package directions
• 1 cup grated sharp Cheddar
• Pinch salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Mix all ingredients together and pour into a greased 3-quart casserole dish. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until bubbly.

Chicken Divan

Courtsey of Paula Dean

Ingredients

• 2 (10-ounce) packages frozen broccoli, chopped
• 6 cups shredded chicken, cooked
• 2 (10 3/4-ounce) cans condensed cream of mushroom soup
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 cup grated sharp Cheddar
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• Salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• 1/2 cup soft bread crumbs
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Remove the outer wrappers from the boxes of broccoli. Open 1 end of each box. Microwave on full power for 2 minutes, until thawed. Drain the broccoli and put into a casserole dish. Add the shredded chicken.

In a medium bowl, combine the soup, mayonnaise, sour cream, Cheddar, lemon juice, curry powder, salt and pepper, to taste, and wine. Whisk together to make a sauce. Pour the sauce over the broccoli and chicken. Mix well with a spatula.

Place the mixture into an 11 by 7-inch casserole dish or 2 (9-inch) square disposable aluminum foil pans that have been sprayed with vegetable oil cooking spray. Pat down evenly and smooth with a spatula. Combine the Parmesan, bread crumbs and butter and sprinkle over the top.

Bake for about 30 to 45 minutes.

Cook's Note: Try topping with Cheddar or Gruyere cheese.

Louisiana Crawfish Casserole

2 tbsp. butter or margarine

1 cup chopped onions

3/4 cup chopped green pepper

1 clove garlic, minced

3 cup (12 oz.) crawfish tails

1 can (10-3/4 oz.) condensed cream of mushroom soup

3 cup cooked rice

1 tbsp. chopped parsley

1-1/2 tbsp. lemon juice

1-1/2 tbsp. salt

1/4 tsp. each ground black and red pepper

2 slices bread

1/2 cup milk

Paprika

Melt butter in a large skillet. Add onions, green pepper, and garlic. Cook until tender crisp. Stir in crawfish, soup, rice, parsley, lemon juice, and seasonings. Add bread which has been crumbled and soaked in milk. Mix well. Spoon into a buttered shallow 2 quart casserole. Sprinkle with paprika. Bake at 350F for 30 minutes.

Makes 6 servings

Crabmeat and Potato Casserole

7-8 hand picked large white potatoes

1 large onion, chopped fine

1 bell pepper, chopped fine

2 stalks celery, chopped fine

One 8 oz container sour cream

2 cups Cheddar cheese

3/8 lb margarine

3 tbs Cajun seasoning

1 tbs garlic powder

1 lb fresh white lump crabmeat

1 tbs liquid crab and shrimp boil

1/2 can cream of mushroom soup

1/2 can cream of celery soup

1/2 can creamy onion soup

3 tbs Worcestershire sauce

3/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs

Boil potatoes with skin on until soft Let cool. Peel skin off of potatoes and cut into medium pieces. Set aside in large mixing bowl. Melt margarine. Add onions, bell pepper and celery. Saute until these 3 items are very soft. Stir in cheese, garlic power, sour cream, soups liquid crab and shrimp boil, Cajun seasoning, Worcestershire sauce and continue to cook for 10 minutes. Stir often to prevent sticking. Next, add crabmeat and bread crumbs. Continue to cook for 10 minutes.

Pour mixture over boiled potatoes and stir until potatoes are well coated. Pour into a 4 quart glass oven dish. Sprinkle bread crumbs on top if desired. Bake at 375F for 20-25 minutes.

Beef Taco Casserole

1 pound ground meat

1 package taco seasoning

One 6-ounce can tomato paste

1-1/4 cup water

2 cups elbow macaroni

1 can whole kernel corn

2 cups grated cheese

Preheat oven to 350F. Cook beef until slightly browned. Stir in taco mix, tomato paste and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Stir occasionally. Cook macaroni. Stir together cooked macaroni and meat mixture. Cover and add 1 cup of cheese. Pour into 2-quart buttered casserole dish. Sprinkle top with remaining cheese. Bake for 40-50 minutes.