Shepherd’s Pie With Crunchy Tater Tot Topping

2 lb. ground meat

1 large onion chopped

4 c. carrots, green beans, peas, mushrooms – use whatever you have.

2 c. homemade or store bought gravy

2 Tbsp. Oil for roasting veggies

2- 3 tsp. Seasoning mix.

Toss vegetables with oil and spread on sheet pan. Bake in 350 oven until crisp tender. You could also cook these in with the meat. Both work, but we like the roasted flavor when they are done in the oven.

Brown meat in large skillet or dutch oven.

Add in vegetables and gravy.

Pour into 13 x 9 baking dish prayed with coconut oil, and top with frozen tater tots.

Increase oven temperature to 400, and put on the top rack.

Bake 25-30 minutes or until tots are crispy and golden.

Chili Cornbread Casserole

We love cornbread and we love chili.  The two of them together is a definite winner!

Cook the chili in the crockpot, and bake the cornbread about 1 1/2 hours before you want to serve the casserole.

Combine:

2 lb. cubed pork (use any meat, or even plant based “meat”)

1 jar Newman’s Own Pineapple Salsa (any salsa will do)

1 can black beans, drained

1 can white kidney beans, drained

Place in crockpot and cook on low 8-10 hours, or high 4-5 hours.  Keep warm until the cornbread is baked.

Spray 13 x 9 baking dish with cooking spray.  Preheat oven to 350 F.

Combine the following:

2 boxes Jiffy cornbread mix

3 eggs

1 can creamed corn

1 can whole kernel corn, drained

1/2 c. almond milk

3 Tbsp. honey

Stir until blended.  Pour into prepared baking dish and bake until golden, about 40 minutes.

Pour chili over cornbread, and sprinkle with shredded cheese.

I used 1 c. Daiya mozzarella style shreds.

Bake another 20 minutes until cheese is melted.

Serve topped with sour cream.

Chicken Finger Mac and Cheese

2 boxes elbow macaroni, cooked according to directions

12 leftover chicken fingers (you could use any leftover meat)

1 package broccoli slaw, steamed in the microwave (any steamed veggies will work!)

1 jar alfredo sauce (variation – mushroom soup, marinara, any sauce!)

1 c. shredded cheese (I used sliced and shredded up some cheese I had on hand)

Mix cooked macaroni and alfredo sauce.  Place half in the bottom of a 13 x 9 baking dish sprayed with coconut oil spray.

Top with cooked broccoli slaw.

Cut up chicken tenders and spread evenly over broccoli slaw.

Top with remaining macaroni and sauce.

Top with cheese.

Bake at 350F until melted and golden, about 25-30 minutes.  Loved it!!

Chicken Alfredo Bake

1 package wild garlic noodles – love these!

1 jar alfredo sauce

4 c. leftover cooked chicken

3 c. broccoli florets

1 green pepper, chopped

8 oz. sliced mushrooms

1 c. shredded colby jack cheese

Saute broccoli, mushrooms, and green pepper until softened, but not mushy.  Add in chicken.

Meanwhile, cook garlic noodles.

Combine noodles, chicken and veggies, and alfredo sauce.  Pour into 13 x 9 baking dish sprayed with coconut oil.

Sprinkle with cheese.  Bake at 350F for 25-30 minutes until golden.

Barbecue Chicken Enchiladas

I had some leftover barbecue chicken, some tortillas, a little leftover brown rice, and shredded cheese, and viola!

2 – 3 c. leftover brown rice

12 flour tortillas

4 c. leftover barbecue chicken, shredded

1 jar alfredo sauce or 1 can creamy cheesy soup, like broccoli cheese

2 c. shredded cheese

Mix rice with half the alfredo sauce or soup.

Spread evenly over the bottom of a 13 x 9 baking dish sprayed with coconut oil.

Roll chicken in tortillas and place on top of rice.

Thin sauce or soup so it can be spooned over the tortillas.

Spread evenly.

Sprinkle with shredded cheese and cook at 375 F for 30-35 minutes.

 

Cheesy Chorizo Tortellini Bake

3 packages Villa Ravioli cheese tortellini (12 oz. each)

2 jars alfredo sauce

1 lb. chorizo

1/2 sweet onion

shredded pepper jack cheese

1.  Brown chorizo and chopped onion in a skillet.
2. Meanwhile, cook tortellini according to package direction.
3. Drain meat and mix in alfredo sauce.
4. Combine with cooked, drained tortellini and pour into a 13 x 9 baking dish.
5. Sprinkle with shredded cheese and bake at 425 for 15 or 20 minutes until cheese melts.

If you make it ahead and refrigerate or freeze it, I would lower the temperature, cook longer, cover with foil for a while and put the shredded cheese on top at the very end.  I did mine this way because I was in a hurry.  From start to finish, this took less than 45 minutes.

This was a hit.  So many variations and add-ins would make for a great dinner – Any type of ravioli or tortellini, any type of sauce, any type of meat, any type of cheese!  Add in zucchini or yellow squash, peppers, beans – you get the idea!!!

Spaghetti Squash Casserole OMG

1 spaghetti squash

1 c. shredded cheese substitute

3/4 c. sour cream

1 egg

Cook spaghetti squash by piercing and placing in a microwave for 1 minute.

Cut off stem end.  Place squash stem side down and cut in half.

Scoop out seeds.

Place squash face down in 13 x 9 baking dish.  Pour in water to about 1/2 inch.

Cover with foil and bake 400 F for 45 minutes.

Flip squash over, recover with foil and cook for 10-15 minutes more.

Scrape spaghetti and place in a bowl.  Add in cheese substitute, sour cream and egg

Mix well.

Pour into 1.5 qt. casserole

Bake 40 minutes.  I cooked this alongside some chicken.

that had been marinated in sauce of choice.  I used Rothchild Farms Pineapple Coconut Mango Tequila Sauce.

This smelled so good while it was cooking, that my son who had already eaten out couldn’t resist trying some!

Love this!

Cheeseburger Casserole

1 1/3 lb. organic ground beef (I bought this at Costco – Kirkland brand)

1 lb. elbow noodles, cooked according to directions

1 large sweet onion, chopped

8 oz. fresh mushrooms

1 jar cheese sauce (I used Ragu double cheddar)

2 c. shredded cheese (I used monterey jack)

Brown beef.  Reserve drippings.

Drain on paper towels.

Mix cheese sauce and macaroni.

In the drippings from meat, cook mushrooms and onions until golden brown.  (I added 1 Tbsp. butter to help them along).

Add meat back in and use a little milk to get the last of the cheese sauce out of the jar and pour it over the meat and veggies.

Spray deep lasagne dish with cooking spray.

Layer noodles in baking dish.  Top with meat and veggie mixture.

Sprinkle with shredded cheese.

Bake 350F for 30 minutes.

Cheesy Noodle Casserole (Using Leftover Pastafagioli)

I made some yummy crock pot pastafagioli.  It had smoked sausage, peppers and onions, garbanzo beans, black beans, great northern beans and noodles.  The liquid cooked away quite a bit and the weather warmed up again, making soup a little less appealing,  so I improvised with a new casserole idea with the leftovers that was a hit!  (Sorry I forgot to take an after it was cooked picture).

6 cups leftover pastafagioli soup (drained – reserve the broth and freeze for future recipes)

1 jar cheddar cheese sauce or 2 cups homemade cheese sauce

2 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Blend leftover pastafagioli and cheese sauce in a prepared 13 x 9 baking dish.

Top with shredded cheese.

Bake at 350 F for 30 minutes.

Tortellini Casserole

The other night I made Italian Hot Sausage in the Crock Pot (which we ate as subs)  I used the leftover sausage and sauce to make this casserole.  The recipe for the Hot Sausage follows.

4 leftover sausage

4 c. leftover pasta sauce

2 bags frozen cheese tortellini

2 c. shredded cheese

Combine one package frozen tortellini with 2 c. of sauce and layer in bottom of a 13 x 9 baking dish sprayed with cooking spray.  I did it right in the baking dish so I wouldn’t have another dish to wash!

Slice sausage and layer evenly over tortellini.

Sprinkle with cheese.

Mix remaining package of tortellini with remaining sauce.

Spread into baking dish.

Sprinkle remaining cheese.

I covered mine with foil and refrigerated it overnight.

Bake 350 F for 40-45 minutes.

Yummy!

Here’s how I made the sausage:

2 lb. Italian sausage (hot)

4 c. fresh spinach

1 c. shredded carrots

1/2 large sweet onion, chopped

(add in mushrooms, garlic, peppers, etc. all to taste)

2 jars pasta sauce or 6 cups homemade

1/2 c. red wine

Place veggies in crock pot.

Layer sausage over veggies.

Pour sauce over sausage.  Use wine to get the last little bit out of the jars if using sauce in a jar.  Pour it around the outer edge of the crock pot.

Cover and cook on low 8-10 hours.

Save the sauce!  I put it in the freezer for a future meal if I’m not using it right away.