Pepperoni Pasta Bake

Ingredients:
*12 oz. rotini pasta
*2 egg, lightly beaten
*1 cup cheese (cheddar or Mozzarella), shredded
*1 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
*2 cups cottage cheese (Homemade cottage cheese is AWESOME in this recipe.)
*1/2 tsp. salt
*1/4 tsp. pepper
*4 oz. pepperoni, sliced and slivered (I use turkey pepperoni.)
*1 cup frozen peas

Directions:
1.  Cook pasta, but slightly undercook.

2. In large bowl, combine beaten eggs, cheeses, salt, pepper, and pepperoni.

3.  Stir in pasta.

4.  Pour into greased 9x13 pan.

5.  Bake covered 20-25 minutes at 400-degrees, or until edges begin to brown.

Notes: 
*If mixture seems too dry, add up to 1 cup of milk.  Be careful not to add too much liquid, the pasta will absorb it while cooking and you'll end up with mush.

*I only use about a half cup of the shredded cheeses and it's still really good.

Recipe Source:  ???

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

This casserole version of the real thing is so nice because it's so much less work than making the tradition chicken cordon bleu and yet, all the original components are present. I love the added dimension provided by the addition of the mustard.

Ingredients:
*3 medium potatoes, sliced
*1 tsp. salt
*1 tsp. thyme
*3 cloves garlic, minced
*1/2 tsp. salt
*6 Tbsp. flour
*2 cups chicken broth (or 2 cups water and 2tsp. chicken bouillon)
*3/4 cup milk
*Swiss cheese, about 1/2 cup or 2-3 slices or as desired
*2 Tbsp. mustard
*3 dashes cayenne pepper
*2 large chicken brests, cubed and lightly seasoned
*3 slices deli smoked turkey (or use ham), diced
*parsley

Directions:
1. Boil potatoes and 1 tsp. salt for 2 minutes. Drain. Set aside.

2. In sauce pan, combine broth, 1/2 tsp. salt, thyme and garlic. Bring to boil.

3. Stir in flour. Whisk until lumps are gone.

4. Add milk.

5. Remove from heat. Stir in cheese, mustard and cayenne pepper.

6. In greased casserole dish, pour small amount of sauce. Then layer potatoes, chicken, turkey, potatoes.

7. Cover with sauce. Sprinkle with parsley.

8. Bake at 400-degrees for 35 minutes or until chicken is done.

Recipe Source: Adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe (www.melskitchencafe.com)

Chicken Broccoli Pasta Bake

Ingredients:
*12 oz pasta (I like penne, or rotini)
*2 eggs
*1 cup milk
*1 cup cheddar cheese (I probably don't use quite a whole cup.)
*1 cup Parmesan cheese (I probably don't use quite a whole cup.)
*2 cups cottage cheese (use this recipe or just buy it.)
*1 large chicken breast, cooked and cubed
*2 cups frozen broccoli, somewhat thawed
*1 tsp. salt
*1/4 tsp. pepper

Directions:
1. Cook pasta and drain.

2. In a large bowl, beat eggs, stir in cheeses, broccoli and chicken.

3. Stir in pasta.

4. Pour into 9x13-inch baking dish.

5. Bake uncovered 20-25 minutes at 400 degrees or until edges brown and center is almost set.

6. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Recipe Source:  Inspired by the Pepperoni Pasta Bake recipe.

Cheeseburger Casserole

Ingredients:
*1 lb ground turkey, extra lean, cooked and lightly seasoned
*2 medium potatoes cut like fries into bite-size pieces
*1 can cream of chicken soup, healthy request
*1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
*1 cup tomato sauce (optional)
*butter spray
*salt

Directions:
1.  In bowl, combine turkey, soup and cheese, tomato sauce. Mix well.

2.  Pour into baking dish.

3.  Layer fries on top.

4.  Spray fries with butter spray or butter flavored cooking spray. Sprinkle with salt.

5.  Bake at 400 degrees for 40 minutes or until fries are tender.

Recipe Source:  ???

California Casserole

I got this idea from Allrecipes.com. Made it last night, it was super easy and the kids really enjoyed it.

*1 lb California Blend veggies, frozen
*1/2 lb deli turkey cut into 1/2-inch cubes (or use chicken breasts)
*1 can cream of chicken soup
*Swiss cheese (I only used about 1/2 cup, you may want more.)
*salt and pepper, to taste
*hot cooked rice (or noodles)

*Combine all ingredients except rice.

*Pour into 9-inch greased baking dish.

*Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.

*Uncover and bake 10 minutes more. (Sprinkle with more Swiss cheese if desired.)

Chicken and Potato Casserole

*2 chicken breasts, cubed
*3-4 medium potatoes, cubed
*1 cup chicken broth
*1 cup milk
*1/2 tsp. basil
*salt and pepper, to taste
*2 Tbsp. cornstarch
*cheese, grated

*Combine broth and milk in sauce pan. Bring to boil. Add seasonings.

*Add cornstarch to thicken.

*Combine chicken, potatoes and sauce. Mix well.

*Place in greased baking dish.

*Cover. Bake at 400 degrees for 45-60 minutes or until chicken is cooked and taters are tender.

*Uncover, sprinkle with cheese. Bake 10 minutes more.

Au Gratin Casserole

*1/2 - 1 lb ground turkey or ground beef, cooked and seasoned
*5 medium potatoes, sliced
*1-2 cups frozen green beans, thawed
*1/2 - 1 cup cheese, shredded
*2 cups milk
*2 Tbsp. cornstarch
*1/8 tsp. garlic powder
*1/4 tsp. pepper
*1/2 tsp. salt

In a small saucepan, boil milk, add seasonings and cornstarch. Stir until thick, remove from heat. Grease large casserole dish. Place layer of potatoes on bottom, pour 1/4 sauce over potatoes, sprinkle with half of cheese. Layer meat and beans and more potatoes. Pour remaining sauce over casserole and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Cover and bake at 400 degrees for 1 hour or until potatoes are tender.

Note: You may want to season your potatoes a little before putting the casserole together.

From the Critics
Brittany: 5 "I liked it except the beans."

Brooklyn: 5 "I liked this a tiny, tiny bit."

Damon: 1

Cheesey Chicken Broccoli and Rice

Ingredients:
*3 cups rice, cooked (I usually use brown rice.)
*3-4 chicken breasts, cooked, cubed and seasoned to taste
*3 cups fresh broccoli, steam for 5 minutes

*2 cans Cream of Chicken soup (I use 98% fat free.)

*1 cup milk (I use skim.)

*1 cup water

*1 cup cheese, grated (I actually used a little less than a cup.)

*Bread crumbs

Directions:

1.  Spray casserole dish with cooking spray.

2.  Spread rice evenly in bottom of dish.

3.  Layer chicken over rice, then broccoli and cheese.

4.  In medium bowl, mix soup, milk and water. Pour over casserole.

5.  Sprinkle with bread crumbs.

6.  Bake 1 hour at 375 degrees.

Notes:
-This casserole freezes really well.  If freezing, under-cook the rice a little.

Recipe Source:  I've long-since forgotten.