Slop Casserole

Mom always made this and called it Slop Casserole, however - I found the recipe under Hearty Chicken Pot Pie. James likes this name better because in Texas this is what Pot Pie looks like....unlike the Pot Pie here in PA which he says is really chicken and Dumplings! Regardless, it is a great go to recipe for a quick and hearty dinner.

INGREDIENTS:

2 packages (16 ounces) frozen mixed vegetables, thawed
2 cup cut-up cooked chicken or 4 Chicken Breasts
2 cans (10 3/4 ounces) condensed cream of chicken soup
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) condensed cream of celery soup
1/2 cup of half and half
1/2 cup of milk
2 cups Original Bisquick® mix
1 cup milk
2 eggs

INSTRUCTIONS:

Heat oven to 400ºF. Mix vegetables, chicken, half and half, milk and soup in ungreased 2-quart casserole.

Stir remaining ingredients in small bowl with fork/whisk until blended. Pour over casserole.

Bake 30 minutes or until golden brown.

(You can also use shredded roast beef and substitute cream of mushroom soup instead of cream of chicken)

Bacon Wrapped Cheese Stuffed BBQ Grilled Chicken

Bacon…cheese…chicken…BBQ sauce…all wrapped up together and grilled. What’s not to love about that combination? I got the idea for this chicken from the ingredients in my fridge! If you’re a bacon lover, this is a MUST try on the grill or tailgate food!

Grilled Bacon Wrapped Cheese Stuffed Chicken

Ingredients:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
12 slices of bacon
12-16 slices of cheese – mozzarella, cheddar, colby jack – anything you like! (off of a block of cheese, if you’re using pre-sliced for sandwiches 2 slices)
4 tsp barbecue sauce, plus extra for serving
Grilling rub of your choice or seasoned salt
Toothpicks, soaked in water (optional, to prevent excessive burning while grilling)

Directions:

Preheat grill to 350 degrees.

Pound out chicken breasts (in a plastic bag or between two sheets of wax paper) to about 1/4 inch thickness. Coat the top of chicken with grill rub. Turn over so rub side is down on work surface. Spread one teaspoon of barbeque sauce in a thin layer over each chicken breast. Layer cheese in the middle of the chicken. Roll chicken tightly. Wrap with bacon, using as many slices of bacon as you need and using toothpicks to hold bacon in place.

Grill for 20-25 minutes, turning every 4-5 minutes or until internal temperature of chicken breast has reached 165 degrees.

Remove toothpicks and serve with barbecue sauce on the side.

Yield: 4
servings

Spaghetti with Fresh Veggies

I get cravings to use up the fresh veggies of the summer, this is a crisp and tasty pasta dish with crunchy snow peas, sweet cherry tomatoes, mushrooms and onions. It is also good without the pasta if you want to cut down on carbs. Look into also adding some grilled chicken or shrimp with salt pepper and a pinch of coriander for a nice additional treat mixed with this dish.



Ingredients:

1/2 box of spaghetti/linguine or fettuccine
1 onion, peeled and finely sliced
1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half or into thirds
1 cup snow peas, top & tailed
1.5 cups button mushrooms finely sliced
fresh basil chopped
fresh parsley chopped fine
Olive oil (3 teaspoons)
butter
Salt & Pepper
Parmesan Cheese

Prep Time: 15mins
Cooking Time: less than 15 mins

How to Make:

STEP 1: boil a pan of salted water and cook the spaghetti according to the instructions

STEP 2: heat the olive oil and lightly saute the onions with a pinch of salt until soft or slightly brown

STEP 3: add the butter and mushrooms followed by some ground black pepper

STEP 4: cook the mushrooms until reduced to half the size

STEP 5: add the snow peas and a little olive oil to coat the vegetables

STEP 6: add the cooked, drained spaghetti and mix throughly to coat the spaghetti with the ingredients

STEP 7: continue frying for about 30seconds to mix the oil in

STEP 8: remove from the heat, add the tomatoes, fresh herbs, cheese and mix

STEP 9: serve immediately

James' Famous Lemon Cheesecake

I know it says lemon cheesecake but even with 1/2 cup of lemon juice it isn't so strong that you cannot add any of your favorite toppings. James has been making this tasty treat for years! It is the best no bake cheesecake recipe I have ever tasted! It is really good by itself or we love blueberry and cherry pie filling!



James' Graham Cracker Crust
1 1/2 cups crushed graham crackers (1 small wrapped package out of the box)
1/3 cup melted butter
3 tbsp sugar

Mix well, press into pie pan, bake for 10 min at 350 degrees.
Now you are ready to fill it!

James' Famous Lemon Cheesecake

Ingredients:
1 8oz package cream cheese
1 1/3 cup of Eagle Brand Milk
1/2 cup of lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla

Directions:
Soften and whip cream cheese until fluffy.
Add Eagle Brand milk and beat well.
Add lemon juice and vanilla, blend.
Pour into crust.
CHILL WELL.
Then add your favorite topping(I like blueberry!) and enjoy!

Mini Cheesecakes

This is an awesome little desert with BBQ burgers and fresh cut fries! :o) It is what we will be making tonight!!

INGREDIENTS:
1/3 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 tablespoon margarine, melted

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese,
softened
1/4 cup white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease a 6 cup muffin pan.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and margarine with a fork until combined. Measure a rounded tablespoon of the mixture into the bottom of each muffin cup, pressing firmly. Bake in the pre-heated oven for 5 minutes, then remove to cool. Keep the oven on.
3. Beat together the cream cheese, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest and vanilla until fluffy. Mix in the egg.
4. Pour the cream cheese mixture into the muffin cups, filling each until 3/4 full. Bake at 325 degrees F for 25 minutes. Cool completely in pan before removing. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Bannister Baked Ziti

This is a great pasta dish I like to serve the boys before their basketball games! It was also Justin's choice meal when he graduated boot camp!

Ingredients

1 pound of lean ground beef
1 medium onion
1 clove of garlic
1 (32 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce(more or less depending on how much sauce you like!)
2 tablespoons garlic powder
2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
1 (16 ounce) package ziti/penne pasta
1 tablespoon salt
24 ounces ricotta cheese
1 pound shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup shredded asiago cheese
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

Brown ground beef with onion, garlic, 1 tablespoon of garlic powder and 1 tablespoon of Italian seasoning. when the beef is browned add 1 1/2 of the spaghetti sauce.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add ziti/penne and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain and rinse. In a medium bowl, mix ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, asiago cheese, egg, 1 tablespoon of garlic powder and 1 tablespoon of Italian seasoning. Once the cheese mixture is combined, add the cooked ziti/penne pasta to the cheese mixture.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish and spoon in enough (1/4 of the sauce) spaghetti sauce to cover the bottom of the casserole dish.

Spoon half the pasta/cheese mixture into casserole dish and pat down. Layer 1/2 the beef/sauce mixture over the pasta/cheese mixture, pat down. Repeat. Topping with remaining spaghetti sauce, followed by Parmesan cheese.

Bake in preheated oven for 50 minutes covered; then 15 minutes uncovered, let stand for 15 minutes before serving.

Chicken Stuffed Shells

This recipe was given to me by one of my fellow teachers...she swore that this recipe was a keeper. I gave it a try and it has been a go-to recipe ever since!

Ingredients
1 lg. box stuffing shells, cooked
4 breasts chicken, cooked and chopped
2 boxes Stove Top stuffing
3/4 c. mayonnaise
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of celery soup
1 can milk

Directions
Prepare stuffing according to directions on box. Mix chicken in stuffing with mayonnaise. Stuff chicken mixture into the cooked shells. Mix soup with milk and pour over stuffed shells. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Fiesta Enchiladas

A quick and easy recipe I found to make on Cinco De Mayo and it was so good it is now in the "keeper" file! Enjoy!

Fiesta Enchilada Casserole

INGREDIENTS
1 pound ground beef
3/4 c. chopped onion
1 1/2 c. chopped peppers, mixed red and yellow bells
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste
2 cans pinto beans, undrained (about 2 1/2 c.)
2 6-oz. cans tomato paste
8 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese
8 oz. shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 dozen flour tortillas
nonstick cooking spray

DIRECTIONS
Brown ground beef in large pan until cooked through. Add peppers and onions, cook about 5 minutes until soft. Add spices, salt and pepper. Add beans with liquid and tomato paste, stir, and simmer for 15 minutes.

Combine both cheeses on a sheet of waxed paper. Spray bottom and sides of a 13x9x2' cake pan with nonstick spray, and cover bottom of dish with flour tortillas. Top with 1/3 of the meat mixture and 1/3 of the cheese, and more flour tortillas. Repeat the layers twice, ending with cheese topping.

Bake in 350 degree oven 30-45 minutes until edges are brown and the casserole is bubbling. Cut into squares and serve with garnish: sour cream, shredded iceberg lettuce, salsa, guacamole, and/or chopped tomatoes. Serves 8 or 10.

Poppy Seed Chicken

My guys are not fans of chicken, unless its fried. Therefore, if I plan on making chicken once or twice a week, I have to BRING IT, otherwise my crowd will not be pleased. This is an interesting recipe I had first at our family cabin during Labor Day weekend. Now, most pictures show this being served over rice or noodles but we like it plain and it saves on carbs! When you make this serve it with a green veggie like brussel sprouts, broccoli, or green beans.

4 chicken breasts, skinless and boneless, cubed
1 16 oz container sour cream
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup or cream of celery soup
1 1/2 sleeve snack crackers (Ritz or Club), crushed
1 tbsp poppy seed(plus some for garnish)
1/2 cup butter, melted

Precook chicken breasts in boiling water until thoroughly cooked. Remove breasts from water. (save the broth for other things!)

Mix together sour cream, cream of chicken soup and cream of mushroom (or cream of celery) soup, one sleeve of crackers and chicken. Spread in greased casserole dish. Cover with 1/2 sleeve of crushed snack crackers. Sprinkle poppy seed on top. Drizzle melted butter on top.

Place in preheated 350°F oven until warmed through and bubbly, about 20-25 minutes.

Crockpot White Chicken Chili

This recipe smells amazing while it cooks. For a quicker version, just boil the cubed chicken first, drain and add to the rest of the ingredients. Serve with cornbread!


Crockpot White Chicken Chili

4 chicken breasts, cubed (from freezer)
1 cup onion, chopped, cooked (from freezer)
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 Tsp ground cumin
1 Tsp oregano
1/2 Tsp salt
1/4 Tsp Tabasco sauce
2 (15 oz. each) cans great northern beans, drained, rinsed
1 (12-15 oz.) can corn, drained
2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro, optional

Mix onion, garlic, chicken broth, cumin, oregano, salt and Tabasco in 3 1/2 to 6-quart crockpot. Add cubed chicken breasts. Cover and cook on low for 4 1/2 to 5 1/2 hours, or until chicken is tender (this may vary depending on how hot your crockpot cooks). Stir in beans, corn, and cilantro, if using. Cover and cook on low 30 minutes or until thoroughly heated.