Shrimp and Rice Casserole Bake

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There's something about the combination of seafood and cheese that just weirds people out. I'm not sure why. I feel like cheese makes everything better, so I imagine it only makes seafood better too. No? When I told Chris I made this for dinner, he quickly told me he was in the mood for Chik-fil-A. I got the hint. So I covered it and put in in the fridge. 

The following day he came home for lunch and--SURPRISE--I baked up this casserole for us to eat. He was still weirded out, but gave it a shot. I think we were both surprised at how good it was. The cheese just makes the rice creamy and rich. There is a ton of added flavor from the onions, peppers and cream of chicken soup. The shrimp simply add some texture and some protein. Make sure you try the mixture before baking it. I had to add a fair amount of salt to get the flavors to where I wanted them to be, but it just made the dish much more flavorful. This is a yummy and comforting dish that the whole household will like. Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 cup white rice
• 1 lb. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 tbsp. butter
• 1 cup frozen chopped green peppers and onions
• 1 (10 3/4 oz. can) condensed cream of chicken soup
• 2 cups sharp Cheddar cheese, grated
• Salt and pepper

Cook the rice according to package directions. Turn off burner and set aside.

Bring 2 cups water and 1/2 tbsp. salt to a boil in a medium saucepan and cook the shrimp for 1 minute. Drain immediately and set aside.

Heat the butter in saucepan and saute the pepper and onion until soft and liquid is absorbed, about 5 minutes.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

In a large bowl, combine the rice, soup, 1 1/2 cups of cheese, shrimp and vegetables. Add salt and pepper, to taste. Mix well. Spray a 9-inch square glass casserole dish with vegetable spray. Place the mixture in the pan and top with remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Bake for 30 minutes, until bubbly.

Source: Adapted from Food Network

Sloppy Joe Tater Tot Casserole

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I know my husband like the back of my hand, and that includes knowing what his favorite comfort foods are. Since his busy season at work is underway, I like to surprise him once in a while with his favorite indulgences. And if that includes taking my own spin on it, then so be it.

Sloppy Joes (the store-bought, canned kind) are one of his favorite things. Tater tots are also high up on his list, so when I saw a casserole that included both items I knew he would love it. Sneaking some vegetables into this casserole doesn't hurt either, and makes it a great option for kids, too. Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1.25 lb. ground beef
• 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
• 1/2 sweet onion, diced
• 1/2 (15.2 oz.) can corn, drained
• 1 (15 oz.) can Manwich Original Sloppy Joe Sauce
• 2 oz. 1/3 less-fat cream cheese
• 8 oz. cheddar cheese, grated
• 16 oz. seasoned tater tots
• Scallions, chopped, for sprinkling on top as desired

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

In a large skillet, brown the ground beef with the peppers and onions until the meat is cooked through. Drain the fat and return to the heat. Stir in the corn, Manwich, and cream cheese. Cook over low heat until the cream cheese is melted.

Pour the sloppy joe mixture into a 9x13 baking dish. Top with half of the grated cheese.

Arrange the tater tots in a single layer over the top of the cheese. Sprinkle the top with the remaining cheese.

Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with chopped chives if desired. Serve immediately.

Source: Adapted from Buns in my Oven

Cheeseburger Pie

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This was a staple in our household growing up. It's easy enough to whip together and serve a starving family after a full day of work/school/sports/activities. I know it was hard to get me to eat hamburgers for dinner when I was a child. I distinctly remember sitting at the kitchen table long after the rest of my family had left because I was not allowed to leave until I finished what was on my plate. And that was always a hamburger. Whenever my mom made this, however, there was no stopping me. Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 3 eggs
• 3/4 cup Bisquik
• 2 tomatoes, sliced
• 1 cup Cheddar cheese, shredded OR sliced American cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a pie plate with cooking spray and set aside.

Cook beef, onions, salt and pepper in a skillet until beef is cooked through. Drain and pour into pie plate.

Beat milk, eggs and baking mix until smooth. Pour over beef mixture and bake 25 minutes.

Remove from oven. Top with tomatoes and sprinkle with cheese. Return to oven and bake until cheese is melted and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Source: My Mom

Lighter Creamy Chicken and Pasta Bake

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Chris' company takes all of its employees on a tropical vacation every January. Their CEO sets a sales goal (more than likely it's very attainable), so it motivates everyone to work extra hard during the year. They've gone countless places, and for this year's trip to Jamaica I was finally invited! I guess getting married has its perks! Not only did we get to stay at an all-inclusive resort with three pools, swim-up bars and tons of activities, but they also chartered a plane so we didn't have to worry about lines, losing our baggage or sitting next to strangers. Talk about company benefits!

We both tried to eat as healthy as we could a few weeks prior to the trip, but with Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years standing in our way, it was a difficult feat. The two weeks prior to the trip, we ate limited carbs and worked out almost every day, so you better believe we went all-out during the vacation! I'm just happy to come home to pasta, potatoes and rice. I've missed them. And this Chicken and Pasta Bake is just the thing to welcome us home. It's creamy and filled with tons of protein and veggies (and carbs!), but it's still light enough to not feel too guilty. Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 12 oz. small pasta (fusilli works great)
• 2 tbsp. light butter
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. dried parsley
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 2 cup frozen chopped broccoli, thawed
• 1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
• 1/2 cup frozen corn, thawed
• 1 can cream of chicken
• 1/4 cup reduced-fat milk
• 1/4 cup light sour cream
• 3/4 cup Mexican blend cheese, shredded
• 1 tbsp. light butter, melted
• 3/4 cup panko
• 2 tbsp. Parmesan cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 13x9" pan and set aside.

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

Heat a large pan over medium-high heat. Melt 2 tbsp. butter and add onions. Cook until they begin to brown. Add garlic and cook for one minute.  Add chicken pieces and season with garlic powder, parsley, salt and pepper. Cook until chicken is done.

Add broccoli, peas and corn. Add cream of chicken, milk and sour cream. Stir to combine.

Add the drained pasta and toss. Sprinkle the Mexican blend cheese over top and stir until just combined. Pour into the greased pan.

Combine the 1 tbsp. melted butter, panko and Parmesan cheese in a small bowl. Sprinkle on top of pasta.

Cook for 30 minutes or until bubbly and the top begins to brown. Enjoy!

Source: SK Original

Baked Beef Ravioli

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When Chris was younger, his Dad always used to make him Chef Boyardee Ravioli before his basketball games. This went on for all four years that Chris played in high school, and although I can't imagine having a stomach full of pasta before running around, it must have worked for him. Chris ended up scoring a career high 1,124 points, had his basketball jersey retired and ended up playing for James Madison University. Chris took my parents and me to see his jersey hanging from the rafters in his high school auditorium, and although I wasn't there for that part of his life, I could not be more proud of him.

Chris still plays basketball regularly with a few men's leagues, but they are nowhere near as competitive as his high school or college teams. Since I know ravioli was a favorite for him before games (I guess they give you a boost of energy!) I made a grown-up version of the meal his Dad used to give him. Mixing pre-made ravioli with ground beef, fresh cheese and diced tomatoes makes this a fuss-free meal that's super tasty. Enjoy!

Chris' retired jersey hanging in his high school's auditorium.

 

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 (9 oz.) packages refrigerated cheese-filled ravioli
• 1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
• 1 large onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 (10 3/4 oz.) can condensed tomato soup
• 1 tsp. dried basil
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
• 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 1/2 cups reduced-fat Mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, finely shredded

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Cook ravioli according to package directions; drain. Return to pan; cover and keep warm.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook ground meat, onion, and garlic over medium heat until meat is brown and onion is tender. Drain off fat. Stir in tomatoes, soup, basil, and oregano. Gently stir in cooked ravioli.

Transfer mixture to an ungreased 3-quart baking dish. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese. Bake, uncovered, about 20 minutes or until heated through. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Source: Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens

Italian Baked Chicken and Pastina

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My best friend has recently taken up cooking dinner for her and her boyfriend, and she thrives off of casseroles. Since she is a middle school P.E. teacher, the last thing she wants to do after a long day of dealing with kids is make an elaborate meals (especially since we all know how kids at that age can be). She still wants her dinner to have all the flavor of elaborate meals, just minus most of the steps.

Recently she has tried my Beef Tamale Casserole and loved it, so I thought I would try a few other casserole dishes that she can easily enjoy. Since most people want something quick after a long day at work (especially if you work long hours or if you have kids at home) these casserole dishes come in handy for everyone. This particular one was extremely easy since I used a store-bought rotisserie chicken, so I was able to quickly pop it in the oven and go on a run while it baked. It's creamy, flavorful and perfect for fall. Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 cup pastina pasta (or any small pasta)
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 cup Rotisserie chicken, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1/2 cup onion, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can Italian flavored diced tomatoes with juice
• 1 cup part-skim Mozzarella, shredded
• 1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup Parmesan, grated
• 1 tbsp. butter

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until just tender, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Drain pasta and put into a large mixing bowl.

Meanwhile, put the olive oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic, stirring to combine, and cook until the onions are soft, about 5 minutes.

Put onions and cubed chicken into the bowl with the cooked pasta. Add the canned tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, parsley, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.

Place the mixture in a greased 9x9" baking dish.

In a small bowl mix together the bread crumbs and the Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle over the top of the pasta mixture. Dot the top with small bits of butter.

Bake until the top is golden brown, about 30 minutes.

Source: Adapted from Food Network

Beef Tamale Casserole

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Sometimes I just need comfort food. Minimal effort, layered flavors and easy to eat. And to me, that is normally in the form of a casserole dish. A messed up car, broken laptop and wrongfully doubled bank deductions played a huge role in my bad day, so something comforting and cozy was definitely needed. Not a fun day for this little lady!

Mexican food is one of my favorites, so it's no wonder I quickly jumped at the chance to make this when I was having an "off" day. I'm also a huge cornbread lover, so having it as the base of this dish made it that much better. If you love tamales, this casserole is definitely for you. It's the layered form of one and probably ten times easier to make. Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 4 oz. Cheddar cheese, shredded
• 4 oz. Monterey Jack or Pepper Jack cheese, shredded
• 1/3 cup reduced-fat milk
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1 (14.75-oz.) can cream-style corn
• 1 (8.5-oz.) box corn muffin mix (Jiffy works great)
• 1 (4-oz.) can chopped green chiles
• 1 (10-oz.) can red enchilada sauce
• 1 lb. ground beef
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Fresh chopped cilantro or parsley, to taste

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 13x9 baking dish with cooking spray.

Combine the cheeses in a small bowl. In a large bowl, stir together 1/4 cup of the combined cheese, the milk, egg, cumin, red pepper, corn, muffin mix, and the green chiles. Stir until just combined. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 15 minutes or until just set.

While the cornbread is baking, cook your ground beef in a skillet over medium heat until cooked completely through. Drain, if necessary, and salt and pepper the beef.

Remove the cornbread from the oven and pierce all over with a fork. Pour the enchilada sauce over the corn bread. Top with the beef and remaining cheese. Return to the oven for another 15 minutes. Sprinkle with the chopped cilantro or parsley and serve.

Source: Adapted from Buns in my Oven

Bacon and Brie Mini Quiche

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These turned out to be such cute little appetizers! And who wouldn't like that they're jam-packed with bits of bacon and creamy Brie?

That's what I thought.

I made these the night before and then we just served them at room temperature when guests arrived the next day. We heated up a few just in case that's what everyone preferred, but I honestly thought they were delicious both ways. They were pretty easy to make (although rolling, cutting and fitting the dough into the pans was a little time consuming), but it was totally worth it. I kept popping these babies in my mouth and I'm pretttty sure you will, too. Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 package pie crust
• 4 ounces, weight Brie cheese (rind removed)
• 4 ounces, weight Swiss cheese, shredded
• 10 slices bacon, cooked crisp, drained, crumbled
• 6 whole large eggs
• 1/2 cup whipping cream
• 1/2 cup light sour cream
• 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 dash each fresh nutmeg, salt, pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Roll out pie crust. Cut into 24 2-inch rounds. Fit each round into a 24-cup nonstick mini muffin tin. Press dough on the bottom and up the sides of the mold. Remove excess dough.

Crumble cheeses in the bottom of each lined cup. Add crumbled bacon on top. Mix all remaining ingredients thoroughly and divide evenly among cups.

Bake in preheated oven for about 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool slightly before serving.

Source: Adapted from Tasty Kitchen

Baked Scallops

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Here's another one for the rotation.

My favorite dinners are those that come together in no more than 20 minutes, are reasonably cheap, use basic ingredients, and are, for the most part, healthy. This dish fits all four criteria and has great flavor on top of all that! The only thing I had to buy at the grocery store were scallops, which were on sale for $8. Talk about a bargain. Serve this with some crusty bread and you're in business!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• Flat leaf Italian parsley, chopped
• 1 lb. bay scallops
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 4 tbsp. breadcrumbs
• 2 tsp. unsalted butter

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, parsley and scallops. Season with salt and pepper. Stir well to combine. Set aside.

Spray your ramekins with cooking spray. Using a slotted spoon place enough scallops into each ramekin so that they are 3/4 full or equally divided between the four ramekins. Top with 1 tablespoon breadcrumbs per ramekin and a 1/2 teaspoon butter each.

Bake until golden and bubbly, approximately 10-15 minutes.

Source: Bell'alimento

Cheesy Chicken & Broccoli Stuffing Bake

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I'm a complete sucker for stuffing. Not even homemade stuffing, the store bought stuff. It's my favorite part of Thanksgiving, and I often times find myself buying the boxed version at the grocery store. I always feel guilty eating it alone though. I mean it's solely carbs! Who would feel good about that! But I can't pass it up. I'm in love with the stuff.

In order to make myself not feel as guilty the other day when I found another box in my grocery cart, I decided to make some sort of meal out of it. Combining it with chicken, broccoli and reduced-fat cheese actually worked! And I still got my stuffing fix! This would be a perfect weeknight meal for kids, especially they're a stuffing lover like this big kid over here (me). Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 (6 oz.) box Stove Top chicken flavored stuffing
• 1 1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 (14 oz.) package frozen broccoli florets, thawed
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 1/2 cups reduced-fat Cheddar cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Cook stuffing as directed on package.

Cut chicken into bite-size pieces. In a 9x13 inch pan, mix chicken and broccoli. In a separate bowl, combine soup, water and cheese. Pour over chicken mixture and combine well. Top with cooked stuffing mixture.

Bake for 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

Source: Kraft