Unstuffed Stuffed Bell Pepper Casserole

My sweet neighbor brought me some bell peppers from her garden.  I thought I would make my Stuffed Bell Pepper recipe, but wanted to try something new--my Unstuffed Stuffed Bell Pepper Casserole was born! 

Unstuffed Stuffed Bell Pepper Casserole

1 Tablespoon Grapeseed oil (can use olive oil)
2 cups diced bell pepper (about 3 medium peppers)
1 cup diced onion (a medium onion)
1/2 Tablespoon minced garlic
1 pound ground beef (I use the lean)
1-11/2 Tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 (14.5) oz. can petite diced tomatoes
3 cups cooked rice (I used white but can use brown)
1 cup mozzarella cheese, divided
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, divided

In a large frying pan, saute bell peppers, onion, and garlic in the grapeseed oil on medium high until soft (about 5 minutes).  Add the ground beef (I put a little salt, pepper and garlic  powder on the meat).  When cooked drain any excess liquid from pan.  Add the Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, diced tomatoes, rice, 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese and 1/8 cup of Parmesan cheese.  Mix well.  Put in a 9x13 baking dish and top with the remaining cheese.  Bake at 350 degrees, covered, for 25 minutes.  Uncover and bake another 5 minutes. Enjoy!

**3/4 cup uncooked long grain rice made 3 cups cooked rice.

How to make white long grain rice: 
(Use double the water to the rice.  For 3/4 cup rice, use 1 1/2 cups water.  For 1 cup rice use 2 cups water.)
Put water in a pot and add some salt and butter.  Bring to a boil.  Add rice, stir, cover pot and cook on low for 20 minutes.  After 20 minutes, remove from stove and let sit about 5 minutes.  Your rice should be perfect!

Green Bean and Corn Casserole

Over the holidays I did find a great green bean casserole.  My husband's cousin made this for Thanksgiving and it was a big hit.  So if you're tired of the classic green bean casserole with mushroom soup and fried onions, you have got to try this.  I definitely like this one better.

Green Bean and Corn Casserole

2 cans French style green beans
1 can white shoepeg corn
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/4 cup chopped onion

Mix all ingredients together and put in a baking dish sprayed with Pam.

Topping:
1 stick butter, melted
1 roll of Ritz crackers, crushed
1/2 cup toasted almonds

Mix together and put on top of green bean and corn mixture.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes.

Another Mexican Casserole

So here is another Mexican casserole that I tried.  No, it's not Brandi's recipe, but it is similar. This one doesn't have the beans in it.  My family really liked it and I think you will too.

Another Mexican Casserole

4 -6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 large onion, chopped and divided
1 small piece of celery
2 cups grated cheddar cheese (I used the Mexican blend)
1 small can/jar taco sauce
1 cup broth, divided
1 package nacho cheese flavored Doritoes (I used the baked Doritoes)

In a pot, boil chicken in salted water with a small slice of the onion and a small piece of celery for about 30 - 45 minutes).  Remove from pot and cut chicken into pieces.  Save 1 cup broth and set aside.

Mix taco sauce, soup, 1/2 cup broth, and onions with the chicken.  Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with Pam and line bottom with Doritoes and alternate layers of Doritoes, chicken mixture and cheese.  Top with the grated cheese and pour the remaining 1/2 cup broth over dish.  Bake at 350 degrees until bubbly and cheese is melted, about 25 - 30 minutes.

Eggplant Parmesan Casserole

Eggplant?  Yuck!  No, you won't think that after you try this Eggplant Parmesan Casserole. Personally, I don't like eggplant, but I loved this dish and my family loved it too.  You'll become an eggplant lover with this casserole as well.

Eggplant Parmesan Casserole

1 large eggplant, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup milk
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup flour
1 pound ground beef or ground turkey
1 onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
Salt, pepper, garlic powder to taste
2 (15 oz.) cans of tomato sauce
2 cups Mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Vegetable oil

In a bowl mix together the flour, salt and pepper.  In another bowl mix the egg and milk.  Then dip the peeled and sliced eggplant in egg and milk and dredge in the flour mixture. In a large skillet, heat oil and brown eggplant slices on both sides.  Drain on a brown paper bag. (I'm sure you can use paper towels instead.)  Rinse skillet and saute ground beef or turkey and season with salt, pepper and garlic salt to taste.  Add onion and green pepper  and cook until meat is done and onion and peppers are tender.  Drain.  Add tomato sauce, salt and pepper to taste, and Italian seasoning.  (I also added a packet of Stevia.)  In a greased 9 x 11 baking dish place alternating layers of meat mixture, eggplant and Mozzarella cheese.  Top with Parmesan cheese and bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 45 minutes until bubbly.

Hamburger Noodle Delight

Here's a hamburger noodle casserole that is different and delicious.  It will definitely delight your taste buds.

Hamburger Noodle Delight

1 (8 oz.) package medium egg noodles

1 1/2 pounds ground round
1 medium onion, chopped fine
2 small (8 oz.) cans tomato sauce
1 (8 oz. ) package cream cheese
1 (8 oz.) carton sour cream
2 cups grated Cheddar cheese

Cook noodles and set aside.  Combine tomato sauce, sour cream and softened cream cheese.  Mix until creamy and set aside.   Brown meat (I sprinkled salt, pepper and garlic powder on the meat) and onion together and drain the juices.

Spray a 2-quart baking dish with Pam.  Layer half the noodles in the bottom of the dish.  Then put the creamed mixture on top of the noodles (do not stir) and the rest of the noodles on top of the creamed mixture.  Finally place the meat mixture on top of the noodles and sprinkle with the grated cheese (remember, don't stir).  Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes until bubbly and cheese is melted and browned.

South of the Border Dinner



Top

Bottom/Inverted

I tried this recipe because I knew my husband would like it.  My husband kept saying, "This has a real nice taste to it!", as he went back for seconds and thirds and . . .  Yep, I knew he'd like it.

South of the Border Dinner

1 - 1/2 pounds ground beef or turkey (I made mine with turkey)

1 medium onion, chopped

1 small bell pepper, chopped

1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce

4 tablespoons chili powder

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

1 box cornbread mix (I used Jiffy)

In a skillet cook meat until browned, stirring so it will be broken up.(I seasoned meat with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.)  Add onion and bell pepper and cook until soft.  Add tomato sauce, chili powder and salt.  Cook until mixture is heated.  Pour mixture into a 9 x 9 baking dish ( I used a 11 x 7 dish).  Mix cornbread according to package directions.  Spread cornbread on top on mixture.  Bake at 400 degrees for 15 - 20 minutes until lightly browned.  Loosen side of pan with knife and invert onto platter.  Serve hot.

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Well, I'm on a diet--AGAIN!  So now is the time to try those Mexican recipes that I usually don't eat because I won't be eating any.  I'm on a diet, REMEMBER!  

My family LOVED this chicken enchilada casserole!  So I had to have a little taste.  BIG MISTAKE!  You know how everything that you're not suppose to eat tastes so good when you're on a diet.  Did I say I was on a diet?  Oh well, I'll start my diet tomorrow--AGAIN!

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

6-8 chicken breasts, cooked and cut into cubes
2 cans (10 oz.) Mild Green Chili Enchilada Sauce
1 - 1 1/4 cups light sour cream
8 corn tortillas (6 inch), cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
4 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with Pam.  Layer half of the chicken, enchilada sauce, sour cream, tortillas and cheese.  Repeat layers.  Cover and bake at 375 degrees for 40 minutes.  Uncover and bake 10 minutes longer, until bubbly.  Remove from oven and let sit for 15 minutes before serving.

**If you have a small family and don't want to make a big casserole, this is an easy recipe to half.

Mexican Cassserole

Well, I'm in Charlotte, NC helping my son, Brian, take care of his four precious children.  His wife, Brandi, is in California visiting her mom.  Brandi's sister, Tiffany, is returning from her mission in Ithaca, NY.  She doesn't know Brandi is there.  What a great surprise!


Speaking of surprises, before Brandi left she made this Mexican Casserole for us to eat.   I'm not a real Mexican food lover, but I really enjoyed this casserole.  Brandi said she did use the mild ingredients just for me.  What a good daughter-in-law!  Thank you, Brandi.  I loved it.


Mexican Casserole
1 pound browned ground beef

2 cloves garlic, minced (or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder)
1/4 cup chopped onions
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 (15 oz.) can red enchilada sauce
1 (12 oz.) jar mild taco sauce


1 can black beans, drained
1 can pinto beans, drained
1 can corn, drained
8 oz. shredded cheese
1/2 bag large tortilla chips, crushed


In a big pot mix the first six ingredients.  Bring to a boil, turn down, simmer for 20 minutes.  Stir occasionally.  Add beans and corn to mixture.


In a 9 x 13 pan, layer:
1/2 crushed chips
1/2 meat mixture
1/2 cheese
Repeat


Bake at 375 for 30 - 35 minutes until bubbly and hot.


NOTE:  This makes a TON!  Feeds about 10 people.  (I don't know, Brandi.  Brian, the 4 kids and I almost finished it off--it was that good!)

Cheddar Chicken Spaghetti

Now this is a recipe my son Jonathan is going to love.  It's like the Chicken Spaghetti Casserole he loves, but without all the fuss.  Jonny, this one's for you. 

Cheddar Chicken Spaghetti

1 (8oz.) package spaghetti, broken into 3 parts
2 cups cooked chicken (I used 3 chicken breasts)
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1 can (10 3/4 oz.) cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Cook spaghetti according to package directions.  Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine the chicken, 1 cup cheese, soup, milk, salt and pepper.  Drain spaghetti and add to the chicken mixture.  Mix well and put in a greased 13 x 9 inch baking dish.  Sprinkle with the remaining cheese.  Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes until heated and cheese is melted.

This was so easy to make that my 3 year old granddaughter, McKinley, helped me. Here she is wearing her chef's hat. She had to wear it while she was cooking.

Isn't she precious!

Tater Tot Hamburger Casserole

The other morning I went to get something from the outside freezer.  I reached to open the door to the freezer and realized it was already opened.  My heart stopped!  Why was the door open?  Who left the door open? Was all my food ruined?  I quickly opened the freezer door wide so I could see the inside.  Oh, I was so sad.  My chicken, hamburger and tater tots were all thawed.  Well, I knew what we'd be having for supper that night--Tater Tot Hamburger Casserole!  Of course the next evening we had my famous grilled chicken. Just goes to show that something good does come out of something bad. 

Tater Tot Hamburger Casserole

1 pound ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of celery soup
1 bag frozen tater tots
1 - 2 cups grated cheese
Salt, pepper, garlic powder

Brown meat and onion.  Add salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste. Drain juices from meat and add soups.  Mix together.  Spray a 9 x 13 dish with Pam and pour mixture into dish.  Put tater tots on top.  Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, until tater tots are brown.  Sprinkle cheese on top and bake 10 - 15 minutes more, until cheese is melted.

**In case you're interested, here's the scoop on the opened door to the freezer:
My granddaughter, Addy, went to the freezer to get a popcicle.  As she grabbed the popcicle, she saw a huge bug in the garage.  Screaming at the top of her lungs, she ran inside as quickly as she could.  (She's like her mom, Charen--HATES BUGS!)  And you know the rest of the story!

Chicken Pot Pie

Here is a recipe my family loves. As a matter of fact, when my sons were at college they would make this casserole to impress their dates. Hey, it must have worked because each of them got a wonderful wife who probably makes the chicken pot pie now.

Chicken Pot Pie

3-4 cooked chicken breasts, cubed (I boil my chicken in salted water with a piece of celery and a small onion.)

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 soup can of chicken broth (I use the broth from the chicken I boiled.)

1 cup self-rising flour

1 cup milk

1 stick melted butter

Put cut up chicken in the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish. Mix together cream of chicken soup and 1 soup can of chicken broth. Pour evenly on top to chicken.

Mix together the self-rising flour (must be self-rising), milk, and butter. Pour this mixture evenly on top of the chicken and broth mixture. DO NOT MIX TOGETHER! This makes the crust of the pie.

Put in oven at 350 degrees for 45 - 60 minutes until browned on top.

**I use a wire whisk to mix up the soup mixture and to mix the flour mixture.

We served this with broccoli and I discovered a great way to make it. It's called Steamers. You just put the bag in the microwave and cook for about 7 minutes. It's delicious.

Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole

Speaking of wild rice--here's another recipe using wild rice . My friend, Stephanie, made this for me and my family when I was recuperating from surgery. I have made it several times since then. It is very tasty.

Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole

1 (6.2 oz.) box of long grain and wild rice mix (like Uncle Ben's)

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup chopped onion

1 rib celery, chopped

2 cups chopped, cooked chicken or turkey

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 (8 oz.) container of sour cream

1/2 cup milk

salt and pepper to taste

Non-stick cooking spray (like PAM)

Prepare rice according to box directions and set aside.

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and celery and saute until tender. Pour out excess butter from skillet, leaving just a little residue left in the skillet. Stir in cooked rice, chicken, 1 cup of the cheese, soup,sour cream, milk, salt and pepper. Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray and spoon chicken mixture evenly in the casserole dish.

Bake, uncovered, at 350 for about 30 minutes or until bubbly.

Turn off oven and sprinkle casserole with remaining cheese. Return to turned off oven for 5 more minutes.

Poppy Seed Chicken

I was looking through a church cookbook and found this poppy seed chicken casserole. I had all the ingredients and it sounded good, so we tried it. And we liked it--actually we loved it! This one's a keeper.

Poppy Seed Chicken

6 - 8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and cut into pieces

( I just boiled mine in salted water with an onion and a piece of celery) (You can use left-over turkey, too, or if you're like my friend Stephanie, buy the chicken already cooked!)

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 cup sour cream

1 stick butter ( I only used a half of a stick, 4 Tablespoons)

1 Tablespoon poppy seed

2 cups Ritz cracker crumbs (I crumbed up one roll of the Ritz crackers)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 13 baking dish. Put meat on the bottom. Mix the soup and sour cream and pour over the chicken. Mix the Ritz crumbs and the poppy seed. Spread over chicken. Melt butter and drizzle over the top. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Do not cover.

Chinese Hamburger Casserole/Slightly Oriental

Happy Groundhog Day! I decided to go through my old recipe box to look for recipes to try. You know, some of the best recipes are the ones my mom taught me or the ones friends shared with me many years ago when my children were young. When I read this recipe card in the box, my mouth started watering as I remembered how much I enjoyed this tasty dish. As a matter of fact, I have two recipes that are very similar so I included both. You choose.
Chinese Hamburger Casserole

1 pound ground beef

1 small onion, chopped

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 1/2 cups water

1/2 cup uncooked rice

1/8 cup soy sauce

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 can chow mein noodles

Brown meat and onion. Drain off fat. Add other ingredients except for the chow mein noodles.

Bake at 350, covered, for 30 minutes. Remove cover and bake 20 minutes longer. Top with the chow mein noodles and bake 10 more minutes. Remove from oven and let sit about 5 - 10 minutes before serving.

Slightly Oriental

1 pound ground beef

3 cups diced celery

1 large onion

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 can water chestnuts

1/2 cup rice uncooked

1 can (5 oz.) chow mein noodles

Brown meat. Add celery and onion. Saute until onions are golden brown or clear.

Mix everything together, except chow mein noodles and put in covered casserole dish.

Bake at 350 for 50 - 60 minutes.

Remove cover the last 10 minutes and sprinkle chow mein noodles on top. Continue baking uncovered.

The first recipe is very good. The kids really like it because it doesn't have the celery and the water chestnuts. Now me--I love the celery and the water chestnuts. Again, it's your choice.

Easy Cheesy Tuna Noodle Casserole

I found this recipe on a piece of paper, inside one of my cookbooks and decided to try it. I haven't had a tuna casserole in years. Well, this recipe was so easy (and cheesy) and it was made from scratch--didn't have to use my condensed soups. It was delicious! My husband really loved it! Can't wait to have the leftovers for lunch tomorrow. I'd better hide it so my husband won't eat it!

Easy Cheesy Tuna Noodle Casserole

12 ounces egg noodles or 8 ounces pasta (I used egg noodles)

2 - 3 cans of tuna (5 oz.), drained (I drained it and then put some lemon juice in it and drained it again. Helps get rid of the fishy taste)

1 onion, chopped

3 Tablespoons butter

2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 cups milk

1 teaspoon salt

pepper to taste

1 1/2 cups (6 oz.) shredded mozzarella cheese

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

In a large pot, cook the egg noodles or pasta according to package directions. Drain in strainer and set aside.

Using the now-empty pot your noodles were cooked in, melt the butter. Add onions and saute until tender. Stir in flour to make a thick paste. Add milk, salt, and pepper. Cook and stir until bubbly and slightly thickened. Remove from heat.

Add drained tuna to sauce and add cooked noodles or pasta, stirring to coat. Stir in mozzarella cheese.

Pour into a lightly greased 9 x 13 baking dish and top with the shredded cheddar cheese.

Bake uncovered at 350 degrees. Bake for 20 - 30 minutes until cheese is bubbly.

Poor Man's Hash

When my children were young, I used to make a hamburger and rice casserole that they really loved. Hamburger was inexpensive back then, so we called it "Poor Man's Hash"--mainly because we were poor and it was a cheap dinner to make. I found the recipe a few weeks ago and decided to try it again. You know, it still makes a delicious meal. Next time I'm going to double it!

Poor Man's Hash

1 pound of hamburger

1 small onion chopped

1 small bell pepper chopped

1/2 cup uncooked white rice

1/2 - 1 teaspoon of chili powder

1 (16 oz) can of petite diced tomatoes

Salt and pepper to taste

Brown hamburger. Salt and pepper to taste. Add onion and bell pepper. Cook until onion and bell pepper are clear and cooked. Add tomatoes, rice, and chili powder. Mix together and put in a covered casserole dish. Bake at 325 for 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Brandi's Easy Chicken Casserole

Here is a really easy casserole for those days you don't know what to fix for dinner and you have only an hour before you have to feed everyone. My daughter-in-law, Brandi, gave me this recipe so it is named after her.

Brandi's Easy Chicken Casserole

1 can of cream of mushroom soup

1 package of dry onion soup

1 soup can of water

1 cup of long grain rice (uncooked)

2 or 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, uncooked, cut into pieces

Preheat oven to 350. Mix all ingredients above and put in a 9 x 13 baking dish.

Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees.

(If you don't cover it, the rice won't cook!)

Let sit for about 5 minutes before serving.

**If you like mushrooms, add can of mushrooms before baking :-)

Chicken Spaghetti Casserole

Well, this recipe is not very quick, but it certainly is worth it. I think boiling the chicken and cutting it up is the hardest part. Of course, you could boil the chicken the night before and it would be quick to put together the next day. My family likes this recipe because it is different from regular spaghetti--it's creamy, not made with tomatoes, and has chicken not beef--plus it has mushrooms and we love mushrooms. It really is delicious!

(You can leave the mushrooms out if you're not a mushroom person.)

Chicken Spaghetti Casserole

8 ounces of spaghetti

4 Tablespoons of butter (I use only 2 Tablespoons)

1 small onion chopped

1/2 cup celery chopped

3/4 cup sliced mushrooms

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 large (12 oz.) can evaporated milk

2 cups cooked chicken

(I usually boil some chicken pieces in salted water with an onion and a piece of celery in it)

Preheat oven to 350. Cook spaghetti per directions on the box. Rinse and set aside.

Saute' onions, celery and mushrooms in butter. Blend in soup and mix together. Add milk slowly, mixing as you go. Add cooked spaghetti and chicken to this mixture and put into a casserole dish.

Put shredded cheddar cheese on top. Then sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake uncovered at 350 until bubbly and cheese is melted--about 30 minutes.

Baked Beans and Hamburger Casserole

Where did August go? Actually, where did summer go? It is almost Labor Day, so I thought I'd share some great recipes for your cook-outs or your "cook-ins" (because it always rains in SC on Labor Day)! Instead of serving plain ol' baked beans at your barbecue, try this "Baked Beans and Hamburger Casserole".

Baked Beans and Hamburger Casserole

1 medium onion, chopped

1 pound ground beef

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup ketchup

1/2 cup sugar

2 Tablespoons vinegar

2 cans pork and beans (15 oz)

1 can kidney beans (16 oz), drained

Preheat oven to 375. Brown together the ground beef and onion. Drain off the grease. Add the salt, ketchup, sugar and vinegar and mix well. Add the pork and beans and the kidney beans and gently mix together. Put into a baking dish and bake uncovered at 375 for 30 minutes. Turn off oven and leave in another 30 minutes.

**This recipe can be used as a side or main dish. It is also good as a topping for hot dogs!

Our Favorite Potato Casserole

Since I already posted my grilled chicken recipe (see chicken), I now need to give you my favorite potato casserole recipe. My kids always call it "the meal"--grilled chicken and potato casserole. My butter beans (lima beans) are also included in that meal along with my Cucumber Cooler recipe (see salads). When I made the potato casserole today, I put it on the table and before I could even get a picture, it was half gone. That's how delicious it is. Enjoy!Our Favorite Potato Casserole

6-8 medium potatoes, baked ( I bake them at 350 for 1 to 1 1/2 hours)

Cool and grate.

1 /2 cup grated onion (I just grate one large onion)

1 - 2 cups grated cheese

1 teaspoon salt

Add these ingredients to the grated potatoes

1/4 cup melted butter

1 can cream of chicken soup

8oz. sour cream

Melt butter in a small bowl. Add soup and sour cream and mix well. Pour into potato mixture and mix well.

Put in a 9 x 13 pan. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

1 1/2 cups corn flakes, crushed

1/4 cup melted butter

Take out of oven and sprinkle topping of crushed corn flakes on top. Drizzle 1/4 cup melted butter on top. Put back in oven and bake for 15 more minutes.

**You can actually buy packaged potatoes already grated, but I always use fresh potatoes. It takes a little more time, but it is worth every bite. :-)