Cheesy Bacon Pierogie Bake

I have never, before this meal, eaten a pierogie.

I don't know why... I just don't think we ever had them growing up, which means they weren't something I actively sought out in my own cooking.

That will change, though, because this Cooking Light meal was too good to leave as a one-hit wonder.  It's been popping up throughout my food blog world, and for good reason.  This was barely enough for all four of us, though; next time I will double.

Cheesy Bacon Pierogie Bake

barely adapted from Cooking Light

• 1  (16-ounce) package frozen potato and onion pierogies (such as Mrs. T's)
  
• Cooking spray
  
• 3  slices turkey bacon,  chopped
  
• 2  garlic cloves, minced
  
• 1/3  cup  (3 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
  
• 1/2  cup  fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
  
• 1/2  cup  (2 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  
• 1/4  cup  thinly diagonally sliced green onions
  
• 1 tomato, seeded and diced
  

1/2  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400°.

2. Arrange the pierogies in an 11 x 7-inch glass baking dish coated with cooking spray. Cook bacon in a saucepan over medium heat until crisp; remove from pan. Set aside.

3. Add garlic to drippings in pan, and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add 1/3 cup cream cheese to pan, and cook for 1 minute or until cream cheese begins to melt, stirring frequently. Gradually add chicken broth to pan, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Pour the cream cheese mixture evenly over pierogies. Top evenly with 1/2 cup cheddar cheese. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes or until bubbly and thoroughly heated. Remove from oven, and sprinkle with bacon, green onions, tomato, and pepper.

Chili Cheese Dog Casserole

I was beyond excited when I found this recipe in my inbox from Taste of Home.  Chili cheese dogs are awesome, and anything I can throw into the oven scores extra bonus points from me.

I was disappointed, though I think this dish still has potential.  I think it still needs more cheese, and the cornbread ended up a bit too dry.  I'm posting the recipe as is, but stay tuned - I definitely want to try this again with some changes.

Chili Cheese Dog Casserole

from A Taste of Home

Ingredients

• 1 package (8-1/2 ounces) corn bread/muffin mix
  
• 1 cup chopped green pepper
  
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
  
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
  
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
  
• 1 package (1 pound) hot dogs, halved lengthwise and cut into bite-size pieces
  
• 1 can (15 ounces) chili with beans
  
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
  
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese, divided

Prepare corn bread batter according to package directions.  Spread half the batter into a greased 8-inch square baking dish; set aside.

In a large skillet, saute the green pepper, onion and celery in oil until crisp-tender. Stir in hot dogs; saute 3-4 minutes longer or until lightly browned. Stir in the chili, brown sugar, garlic powder and chili powder; heat through. Stir in 3/4 cup cheese. Spoon over prepared corn bread. Spread remaining batter onto hot dog mixture. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 28-32 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving. 

Lady and Sons' Chicken in Wine Sauce

WHY is it that the best-tasting meals aren't any good for you?

I almost didn't even care, though, when I made Paula Deen's Lady and Sons' Chicken in Wine Sauce (which I found on Mia Cucina). Now that there are two little kiddies running around my house these days (okay, one running and one rolling), I more than ever need dinners that require as little face time in the kitchen as possible.

So while this may not be the healthiest dinner (hello, it's Paula Deen!), it was easy and delicious. In fact, with a little tweaking, I would absolutely entertain with this recipe.

The only flaw is my own; I either used too much stuffing or didn't bake it long enough, but that's an easy fix.

Please excuse the poor picture quality. Dinner time + casseroles = icky photos. I actually like to photograph a lot of my meals the next day when there's natural light, but this was so good that there were no leftovers. Maybe next time...


Ingredients

• 4 large skinless boneless chicken breasts
• 4 tablespoons butter, melted, plus more for casserole
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 6 ounces (about 8 slices) Swiss cheese
• 1 (10 3/4-ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 1 cup herb-flavored stuffing mix, crushed

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Add the chicken to a shallow buttered casserole and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Layer the cheese slices on top.

In a medium bowl, add the soup and the wine, season with salt and pepper and pour over the cheese. Sprinkle stuffing mix on top and drizzle with melted butter.* Bake for 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve.

*Cook's Note: If desired use more butter.

Easy, Cheesy Tortellini Bake

Those might just be the best 4 words to find in a recipe title, and to come across them all at once is pretty much like Christmas morning to me. ;)

I came across this dinner on Spice in My Life and thought it was pretty good. The spinach in it makes me feel like the tortellini and cheese are healthy, so therefore this dinner is GOOD for me, right?

I prefer this Cheesy Baked Tortellini instead, however. I loved the addition of spinach, so I will probably merge the two recipes next time.


Ingredients

• 1 large (25+oz) packages cheese tortellini
• 1 (16 ounce) jar marinara sauce
• 1 (16 ounce) jar Alfredo sauce
• 1 (10 ounce) box frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
• 2 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning

Preheat oven to 350.

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions; drain.

Bring marinara and Alfredo sauces along with spinach and 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 10 minutes.

Stir cooked tortellini into sauce, then pour into prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with Mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, and remaining 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning.

Bake for 30-35 minutes, until cheese has melted and turned golden brown.

Layered Fiesta Casserole

I have been receiving complimentary copies of Food and Family from Kraft, as I'm sure many of you do. Even though it's usually one big commercial for their products, I've certainly found my share of yummy things! They recently started charging for this, and as much as I enjoy it, I won't be subscribing.

I found this recipe for a Layered Fiesta Casserole in their last issue and added it to my menu immediately. It absolutely did not disappoint - it was easy and fantastic.

Ingredients

• 1 lb. extra-lean ground beef
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 1 red pepper, chopped
• 1 jar (16 oz.) TACO BELL® HOME ORIGINALS® Thick 'N Chunky Salsa
• 1 can (14-1/2 oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen corn, thawed
• 4-6 corn tortillas (12 inch)
• 1-1/2 cups KRAFT 2% Milk Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese, divided

HEAT oven to 375°F.

BROWN meat with peppers in large skillet; drain. Return to skillet. Stir in salsa, tomatoes and corn.

SPREAD 1 cup meat mixture onto bottom of 9x9-inch baking dish; top with 1 tortilla. Cover with layers of the remaining meat mixture and cheese; top with remaining tortillas and meat mixture. Cover with foil.

BAKE 25 to 30 min. or until heated through. Top with remaining cheese; let stand 5 min. or until melted.

Zippy Turkey Bake

With a name like that, who cares what's in it? It just sounds so fun and delicious, and this dinner from Colleen absolutely lived up to its name.

As is usual for a casserole dish, the photo doesn't do the dinner justice. But this blend of cheese, rice, and summer veggies was perfect, and I know I'll make it again.

Ingredients

• 1 1/3 pound package lean ground turkey
• 1 1/2 tablespoons butter
• 3 medium zucchini or yellow squash, halved vertically and sliced
• 8 ounces sliced mushrooms
• 1/4 cup sliced green onions
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 3 cups rice, cooked (I used a boil-in-the-bag rice which yielded 3 cups of cooked rice)
• 2 (4-ounce) cans diced green chilies
• 1 cup sour cream
• 2 cups shredded Pepper Jack cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 13 x 9 or two 8 x 8 baking dishes.

Cook turkey over medium heat in large skillet, drain. Add butter, zucchini, mushrooms, and green onions; cook and stir until vegetables are tender. Drain if necessary. Stir in chili powder, salt, and garlic powder. Remove from heat.

If the skillet is big enough, add rice, green chilies, sour cream, and 1 cup shredded cheese to turkey mixture and stir to combine. If not, add all ingredients to a large bowl and mix.Turn mixture into baking dishes. Sprinkle with remaining shredded cheese. Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes, until heated through and slightly bubbly.

Taco Casserole

My friend Colleen came to visit Daniel after his birth, and in addition to the sweetest little overalls outfits, she brought a delicious Taco Casserole for us to have to dinner. Since then, every time I refer to her in conversation, my husband always says, "She's the one who brought us that good taco dinner, right?"


It was so delicious, and I couldn't wait until she posted it on her blog so I could cook it again.

I followed the recipe exactly (which she got from Taste and Tell) and heeded her recommendation to add salsa to the beef. Delish!


Ingredients

• 16 oz. taco sauce
• 12 ounce can buttermilk biscuits
• 4-6 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
• 4-6 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 can sliced olives, drained
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 cup red bell pepper, chopped
• 1/4 cup green bell pepper, chopped
• 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
• 1 jar salsa

Preheat oven to 400F. Lightly grease a 13x9 inch baking dish. Spread taco sauce evenly over bottom of dish.

Separate dough into 10 biscuits. Cut each biscuit into 4 pieces. Place biscuit pieces in hot sauce, turn to coat. Sprinkle biscuits with half of the cheese and the olives. Bake for 15-18 minutes.

In a large skillet, combine ground beef, peppers, mushrooms, cumin and chili powder. Cook until ground beef is cooked through and add the jar of salsa.

Sprinkle the ground beef mixture over the baked biscuit mixture. Top with the remaining cheese. Bake an additional 5-7 minutes, until cheese is melted.

Cheeseburger and Fries Casserole

When Brooke first posted this recipe for a Cheeseburger and Fries Casserole, I was instantly intrigued. Anything that is described as "white trash" has to be good, no?


It was actually even better than I expected! While it's not the classiest dinner I've made, and while I wouldn't use it for company, it was a pretty delicious and easy weeknight meal.


Ingredients

• 1 pound lean ground beef or turkey
• salt and pepper to taste
• garlic powder to taste
• burger seasoning to taste
• a few shakes of Worchestire sauce
• 1/2 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cheddar cheese soup
• 3/4 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
• 1/2 (16 ounce) package frozen French fries
• 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

Bake french fries on baking sheet for 10 minutes while preparing beef.

In a skillet over medium-high heat, brown the beef. Cook, stirring occasionally until beef is no longer pink. Drain off excess grease, and add seasonings and Worchestire sauce.

Return to the heat, and stir in the mushroom and cheese soups until well blended. Heat through, and remove from stove. Transfer the mixture to a 8x8 inch baking dish. Cover the ground beef mixture with a layer of partially cooked French fries.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven (mine took much less - maybe only 15 minutes?). When the fries are golden brown, remove the casserole from the oven, and sprinkle cheese over the top. Return to the oven, and bake just until cheese has melted.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

I think this is one of the easiest and yummiest meals I've made in a long time. Another success courtesy of Erica's Kitchen Adventures!


This could be an ever faster meal if you used Perdue Shortcuts and those microwaveable envelopes of rice. And I bet it'd be awesome to sub some pasta instead of rice. But honestly, it doesn't matter how you cook it - just cook it. This was just so freaken good.


Ingredients

• 2 T EVOO
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 bell pepper, diced (I skipped the pepper, don't like it)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 lb diced ham (I just used pre-packaged, pre-diced)
• 2 c cooks, shredded chicken breast (used 2 fairly large chicken breasts)
• 4 T butter
• 1/4 c flour
• 1/2 t salt
• 1/4 t pepper
• 14 oz can chicken broth
• 3 cups cooked rice (I used brown)
• 1 c shredded cheddar
• 1 c shredded mozzarella or swiss (I used a bit of both, and I never measure cheese, I use a lot)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350.

I precooked the chicken by cutting it into thin strips (to cook faster) and throwing it into a skillet with a bit of oil. Then I shredded from there.

Heat oil in a large, rimmed skillet over medium heat.

Add the onions and peppers and cook for about 5 minutes, until tender.

Then add the garlic, chicken and ham and cook for another 5 minutes until heated through.

Add the butter until it is melted, then stir in the flour, salt and pepper until combined.

Slowly stir in the chicken broth, then mix in the rice.

Transfer mixture to a 9x13 baking dish and sprinkle the top with your cheese.

Bake for 20-25 minutes. For the last 10 minutes place aluminum foil overtop for oozing cheese.

1960's Craptastically Good and Ridiculously Easy-to-Make Beef Casserole

Before I had even joined one of my message boards, there had been a recipe collection and distribution. One of the women was gracious enough to send me the document, and I sat for hours, happy as a clam, going through them.


This one, submitted by a woman named Pat, totally caught my eye and I couldn't wait to make it. Besides, you read the name - just the title radiates with goodness!

The meal absolutely lived up to its name, and I was kind of bummed that my husband took the leftovers. Hee hee! This will for sure be a repeat here.


Ingredients

• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1 medium onion (diced)
• 1 can Campbell’s tomato soup (undiluted)
• 1 can green beans (drained) (I used about a cup or so of frozen mixed veggies)
  
• Mashed potatoes
• ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese

Brown the beef and onion. Drain. Add the tomato soup and the green beans and stir. Transfer to a three quart baking dish. Top with the mashed potatoes and cheese. Bake at 350 degrees until bubbly (30 minutes).

Sweet Citrus Chicken - Revisited

Awhile back, I posted this recipe for Sweet Citrus Chicken. I had forgotten to buy OJ so subbed in apple juice. While it was very yummy, I always wanted to try it the original way.

I made it last week, and I think I preferred the apple juice version! This time around, I threw in some craisins and served it with mashed potatoes and corn - it was like Thanksgiving in April! I don't know if it was the OJ or the craisins, but I felt it was a tad too sweet. Still really yummy, though, and I will either use apple juice in the future, or just cut back on the brown sugar and/or OJ.

Ingredients:

• 1-2/3 cups hot water
• 1 pkg. (6 oz.) STOVE TOP Stuffing Mix for Chicken
• 6 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1-1/2 lb.), pounded to 1/2-inch thickness
• 2/3 cup orange juice
• 1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 3 Tbsp. butter or margarine, melted
• Handful of craisins
  

PREHEAT oven to 400°F. Add hot water and craisins to stuffing mix; stir just until moistened. Set aside.

PLACE chicken in 13x9-inch baking dish. Mix juice, sugar and butter until well blended; pour over chicken. Top with prepared stuffing.

BAKE 30 min. or until chicken is cooked through (170ºF).

Tuscan Casserole

Even though this pregnancy is not really allowing me to go completely meatless on Fridays during Lent, I try to at least avoid it during dinner. So it was pretty good timing when this Tuscan Casserole from Someone's in the Kitchen with Brina showed up in my reader!


I really enjoyed the flavors in this casserole and actually think I'd like to add to them next time. For example, I think some orzo in here would be awesome, or maybe some diced chicken or ground turkey.

I also added some mozzarella because really, everything is better with cheese! But stupid me put it under the layer of bread and I think it would have looked much more awesome on top. Oh well...


Ingredients

• 1 15-oz can of cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 10-oz package of frozen chopped spinach, thawed and thoroughly drained
• 3/4 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
• 1/4 cup egg substitute
• 1.5 tsp salt (I would only use 1 tsp or less next time)
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 medium garlic cloves, chopped
• 8 oz sliced mushrooms
• 3 slices of reduced calorie bread, torn into small pieces (I found it easier to cube the bread)
• 2 TBS shredded parmesan cheese

Instructions:

Spray an 8x8 pan with cooking spray. Preheat the oven to 350.

Combine beans, spinach, egg, salt and pepper in a bowl and mix to combine. Heat a skillet over medium high heat, add oil, and saute the onions, garlic and mushrooms until the shrooms start to brown and soften, about 10 minutes. Try to let as much liquid as possible evaporate, otherwise you'll end up with a wet casserole!

Add the onion mixture to the bowl and stir to combine. Spoon everything into the baking dish and evenly top with the bread pieces. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and bake until bread is toasted and spinach is warmed through, about 25 minutes. This serves 8 people, 2 points per serving.

Lasagna Casserole

I originally found this yummy dish on Brooke's blog but decided to change its name. I, too, subbed in mozzarella instead of cheddar, and that plus the ricotta, sauce, etc... it just seemed much less cheeseburger-ish and much more lasagna-ish.


This dinner was absolutely delish... although with all of that pasta goodness, I really wasn't expecting anything less.


Ingredients

• 5 cups uncooked egg noodles
• 1-1/2 pounds lean ground beef or turkey
  
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 cans (8 ounces each) tomato sauce - I used about 3 cups of homemade sauce
  
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1 package (8 ounces) reduced-fat cream cheese
• 1 cup reduced-fat ricotta cheese
• 1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
• 3 green onions, thinly sliced, divided
• 2/3 cup shredded reduced-fat mozzarella cheese

Cook noodles according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, cook beef and garlic until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the tomato sauce, sugar, salt and pepper; heat through. Drain noodles; stir into beef mixture. In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, ricotta cheese and sour cream until blended. Stir in half of the onions. Spoon half of the noodle mixture into a 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Top with cheese mixture and remaining noodle mixture. Cover and bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Bake 5-10 minutes longer or until heated through and cheese is melted. Sprinkle with remaining onions.

Fiesta Cornbread Casserole

Another tasty dish from Brooke!

Please pay NO attention to the ugliness of these pictures. The lighting was awful and I was in a rush to eat this yummy dish.


I promise you, this dinner was way way way better than the bowl of mush it looks like.


Ingredients

• 1 pound ground turkey
• 2 Tbl EVOO
• 1 package taco seasoning
• 2 cans black beans drained & rinsed
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 2 small cans corn drained
• 1 package corn bread with ingredients to make it
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Heat oven to 350 degrees spray 3 quart dish with cooking spray.Heat EVOO in large skillet over medium heat. Brown chicken until the middle is no longer pink. Make cornbread according to instructions, then stir in cheese and bell pepper. Sprinkle taco seasoning over chicken. Add black beans, Rotel and corn. Mix together then pour into prepared dish. Pour cornbread over the top. Bake for 30 minutes or until the cornbread is golden.

French Toast Casserole

I really wanted to make a yummy breakfast for Valentine's Day, but didn't want to spend all morning slaving over the stove when I could be enjoying my sweet Valentine while he played with his new Thomas the Trains.

I had bookmarked this recipe from My Tiny Little Kitchen a long time ago, and thought it would be perfect!

In an attempt to be a tad healthier to compensate for the fat and calories we'd be consuming later that night at the Outback (hey, Alice Springs Chicken is plenty romantic when you have a 2-year-old in tow!), I used whole grain bread. I think that compromised a tad on the taste, though, because I thought it was a bit bland. However, I could have also added more cinnamon and that probably would have taken care of that.

Overall, this was very simple to prepare and pretty good - I would make it again for sure. Maybe next time I'll be motivated to finally attempt the task of making my own brioche...


Ingredients

• 5 cups bread cubes
• 4 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1/4 cup white sugar, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon margarine, softened
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly butter an 8x8 inch baking pan.
2. Line bottom of pan with bread cubes. In a large bowl, beat together eggs, milk, 2 tablespoons sugar, salt and vanilla. pour egg mixture over bread. Dot with margarine; let stand for 10 minutes.
3. Combine remaining 2 tablespoons sugar with 1 teaspoon cinnamon and sprinkle over the top. Bake in preheated oven about 45 to 50 minutes, until top is golden.

Easy Shepherd's Pie

I saw this recipe for an Easy Shepherd's Pie in Kraft magazine, and was excited to see it in Brooke's blog.

I admit that I totally cheated and used the mashed potatoes in a tub from Shed's Spread - the garlic kind, so I omitted the garlic from the recipe.

This was pretty good, although kind of dry. I ended up serving with the leftover gravy just to get a little more... moisture? in there.

Not the best meal I've had, but pretty good for an easy recipe. And definitely a nice bowl of comfort!

Ingredients

• 1 lb. ground beef
• 2 cups hot mashed potatoes
• 4 oz. (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, cubed
• 1 cup KRAFT Shredded Cheddar Cheese, divided
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 cups frozen mixed vegetables, thawed
• 1 cup beef gravy

PREHEAT oven to 375ºF. Brown meat in large skillet. Meanwhile, mix potatoes, cream cheese, 1/2 cup of the shredded cheese and the garlic until well blended.

DRAIN meat. Return to skillet; stir in vegetables and gravy. Spoon into 9-inch square baking dish; cover with potato mixture and remaining 1/2 cup shredded cheese.

BAKE 20 min. or until heated through.

Echilada Casserole

I couldn't wait to make this casserole that I found on Ally's blog!

(I'm sorry that my pictures are so big...!)

I accidentally used marinara sauce instead of just plain tomato sauce, so that gave it a bit too much of an herby/Italian flavor. Actually, I think next time I might use the sauce from these enchiladas - yum!

Otherwise, this dish was a definite winner, and I can't wait to make it again.


Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lb. ground turkey
• 1 can re fried beans
• 1 Tbs. canola oil
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 1 Tbs. fresh chopped parsley
• 1 jar tomato sauce
  
• 2 Tbs. Chili powder divided
• 2 Tbs. cumin Divided
• 2 tsp. smoked paprika divided
• 2 tsp. dried oregano
• Pinch of sugar
• a few shakes of cayenne powder
• salt and pepper to taste
• 18 corn tortillas
• 2 1/2 cups shredded cheese

Heat a medium sized skillet over medium heat and add ground turkey. Add 1 Tbs. of chili powder, 1 Tbs. cumin, a tsp. of oregano and salt and pepper. Cook until evenly browned. Drain in a colander and set aside.

Wipe out skillet with paper towels and add oil. Put skillet over medium heat and saute onions. When onion becomes translucent add garlic and parsley. Cook another minute. Add tomato sauce and the rest of the spices and sugar. Let simmer about 5 minutes.

Transfer ground turkey to a mixing bowl and add re fried beans and about 1/4-1/2 cup of the enchilada sauce. Mix well.

In a 9x13 casserole dish layer 6 tortillas on the bottom, cover with sauce, then meat-bean mixture, then cheese.

Repeat the process ending with tortillas, sauce and more cheese. Cover and cook for 25 minutes, uncovering the last 10 minutes.

Italian Baked Bruschetta Chicken and Pastina

Brace yourselves, folks - I've done it again. I have created my very own dinner.



Okay, that is a total lie.

When planning my meals for the week, I couldn't decide between Giada's Italian Baked Chicken and Pastina and Kraft's Bruschetta Chicken Bake.

But then... it occured to me; make BOTH!



So I did.

I pretty much doubled Giada's version minus the topping, and then used the Kraft's topping instead.

Delicious. But not a friendly meal if you are cutting back on carbs. ;)

Ingredients:

• 1 lb pastina pasta (or any small pasta)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup cubed chicken breast (1-inch cubes)
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 can (14-1/2 oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 pkg. (6 oz.) STOVE TOP Stuffing Mix for Chicken
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 cloves garlic, minced

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 into a large mixing bowl.

Meanwhile, put the olive oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook for 3 minutes. Add the onions and garlic, stirring to combine, and cook until the onions are soft and the chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes more. Put the chicken mixture 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 buttered (or sprayed) 9x13 baking dish.

In a small bowl mix tomatoes, stuffing mix, water and garlic just until stuffing mix is moistened. Layer the stuffing mix on top of the pasta.

Bake uncovered for about 30 minutes.

Chicken Cobbler Casserole

I couldn't wait to make this dinner that Brooke posted a week or so ago. How freaken fabulous does it look?

I changed a couple of things, but overall kept it the same. This was such a great dinner to make on this weird, cold, snowy day.


This was REALLY good... except when my husband complained that I didn't make enough of it for a substantial amount of leftovers. Hee hee!



Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons melted butter, divided
• 4 slices cubed whole wheat bread, about 4 cups
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium-size sweet onion, sliced
• 1 (8-ounce) package sliced fresh mushrooms
• 1 cup white wine
• 1 (10 3/4-ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
• 14oz can diced tomatoes
• 2 1/2 cups (about 1 1/2 pounds) shredded cooked chicken (I diced up three chicken thighs and cooked them up on the stove)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Toss 4 tablespoons melted butter with next 3 ingredients; set aside. Sauté onions in one tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat 10 minutes or until golden brown. Add mushrooms, and sauté 3-5 minutes. Stir in wine and next 3 ingredients; cook, stirring constantly, 5 minutes or until bubbly. Spoon mixture into a lightly greased 9-inch square baking dish; top evenly with bread mixture. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Sweet "Citrus" Chicken

My awesome friend Jen emailed me this Sweet Citrus Chicken recipe not too long ago, and I think I love her even more now. Was that even possible?

I loved how easy this was to just throw together - unbelievable. And SO GOOD!! I actually forgot to buy orange juice and was way too lazy to go out and buy it... I used apple juice instead. Delish!

This would also work awesome with turkey for a mid-year mini-Thanksgiving feast... throw some craisins in there too, and POOF! Fantastic!

Thanks for the recommendation, Jen!

Ingredients:

• 1-2/3 cups hot water
• 1 pkg. (6 oz.) STOVE TOP Stuffing Mix for Chicken
• 6 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1-1/2 lb.), pounded to 1/2-inch thickness
• 2/3 cup orange juice
• 1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 3 Tbsp. butter or margarine, melted

PREHEAT oven to 400°F. Add hot water to stuffing mix; stir just until moistened. Set aside.

PLACE chicken in 13x9-inch baking dish. Mix juice, sugar and butter until well blended; pour over chicken. Top with prepared stuffing.

BAKE 30 min. or until chicken is cooked through (170ºF).