Vidalia Onion Casserole

This recipe I got from my Sister-in-law. She served it for Thanksgiving dinner and my daughter (the pickiest eater in our household) loved it. I'm not sure why, since she's not particularly fond of onions, cornbread, sour cream or creamed corn, but she asked I make it again at our first Christmas potluck.

• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 large Vidalia or other sweet onions
• 8 oz sour cream
• 2 tsp dill weed
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup grated cheddar or jack cheese, divided
• 15 oz can creamed corn
• 4 dashes hot sauce
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 box Jiffy cornbread mix

Saute onions in butter until soft, not brown. Add sour cream, dill, salt and 1/2 cup cheese to skillet, stir and set aside. Combine cream corn, hot sauce, egg, milk and cornbread mix in separate bowl, stir to combine. Add onion mixture to cornbread mixture, combine and pour into greased 9 X 13 casserole dish. Top with remaining cheese. Bake 40 minutes at 425 degrees.

Squash Casserole

The same prep school dietician who supplied the wonderful Turkey Divan used this recipe for squash. For you, Pop-tart.

• 1 pound squash
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/4 cup chopped green pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup grated cheese
• 1 cup bread crumbs
• 1/2 stick butter
• 1/2 cup chopped pimento
• salt and pepper to taste

Topping:

• 1 cup bread crumbs
• 1/2 stick melted butter

Cook, drain and mash squash, add rest of ingredients. Mix bread crumbs and butter for topping, sprinkle over all. Cook in casserole dish for 40 minutes at 350 degrees.

Saucy Sausage Casserole

Wonderful for a brunch or a holiday breakfast.

• 6 oz. box long grain and wild rice
  
• 1 lb. pork sausage
  
• 1 lb. ground beef
  
• 1 chopped onion
  
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
  
• 1/2 cup water
  
• 4 oz. can sliced mushroom
  
• 8 oz. can sliced water chestnuts
  
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  
• 3 oz. sliced almonds, toasted
  

Cook rice according to package. Brown beef and sausage with onion. Mix rice rice and meat mixture with everything except almonds. Spoon casserole into dish, sprinkle with toasted almonds and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

Italian chicken and broccoli impossible pie

Makes an extra-large casserole: halve the recipe for a family-sized pie.

• 1 1/2 cut nonfat cottage cheese
  
• 2/3 cup grated Parmesan
  
• 3 cups cooked cubed chicken
  
• 2 cups cooked chopped broccoli
  
• 2 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
  
• 2 teaspoons oregano
  
• 1 teaspoon ground garlic
  
• 2 teaspoons parsley 
  
• 16 oz can tomato paste
  
• 2 cups skim milk
  
• 4 eggs
  
• 1 1/3 cup Bisquick
  
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

Grease casserole dish. Put cottage cheese on bottom, top with Parmesan, then broccoli. Blend spices with tomato paste, add to chicken and stir to coat. Mix milk, eggs, Bisquick and pepper; beat with wire whisk. Pour over chicken.  Bake for 30 minutes at 400 degrees or until golden brown and crust is firm. Serves 12-16.

Cheeseburger Pie

Supposedly, this was a popular dish for teenagers in the 1960's, before pizza replaced it as a favorite party food.  Can anyone maybe 15 years or so older than me confirm this?  I made it for a church supper tonight; kids didn't care for it much but it was a big hit with the over-fifty set.

• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons Bisquick
  
• 1/4 cup water
  
• 1 pound lean ground beef
  
• 1/2 large onion, chopped
  
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
  
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  
• 2 eggs
  
• 2 sliced tomatoes
  
• 1 cup cottage cheese
  
• 1 cup shredded cheddar
  

Mix 1 cup Bisquick with 1/4 cup water to make soft dough.  Line pie pan with rolled biscuit dough.  Brown ground beef with onion, season with salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce.  Sprinkle beef with remaining 2 tablespoons Bisquick, stir until thick. Put meat mixture in pir crust. Beat eggs and mix with cottage cheese, pour on top of beef.  Top with sliced tomato, sprinkle cheese over all.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Saucy Chicken Casserole

I made this for the first time last night and the family loved it.  Great flavor. Next time I'm going to try reduced fat soup and milk for the sauce and see if I can cut some calories. The sauce makes a great gravy:  serve with rice or biscuits.

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  
• 1/4 cup butter
  
• 1/2 cup flour
  
• 1/2 large vidalia onion, chopped
  
• 1 can green peas
  
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
  
• 2/3 cup evaporated milk
  
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
  
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
  

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Melt butter in casserole dish.  Dredge chicken pieces in flour. Bake chicken uncovered 20 minutes, then turn pieces and bake for 15 minutes more.  Remove from oven, reduce heat to 350.  Top chicken with chopped onions and peas.  Combine soup, milk, salt and pepper, pour over chicken.  Cover and return for oven for 20 minutes or until hot and bubbly. 

Shepherd's Pie

Another good all-in-one meal.

• 1 1/2 pound ground beef
  
• 4 tablespoons butter
  
• 1 large onion, chopped
  
• 2 cups mixed vegetables
  
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  
• 1/2 cup beef broth
  
• 6 servings mashed potatoes (instant or scratch)
  

Melt butter in skillet, saute onion until tender. Add beef and cook until brown.  Mix in broth, Worcestershire sauce and vegetables, heat until bubbly. Put in casserole and top with mashed potatoes.  Bake at 400 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until potatoes are brown.

Chicken Pot Pie

An easy, make-ahead, all-in-one supper. I use ready-made crusts.

• 2 1/2 cups cooked chicken (I poach a couple of boneless chicken breasts, then saute with the onions and garlic, but any will do.)
  
• 1 cup sliced carrots
• 2 cups green peas
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon butter or margarine
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 2 tablespoons corn starch
• 1 teaspoon thyme leaves
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• double pastry pie crust, deep dish

Cook peas and carrots until tender. Melt butter in skillet, saute onions and garlic until tender. Stir corn starch into milk until smooth, cook over medium heat until boiling, stirring constantly. Boil for one minute. Remove from heat, mix in thyme, salt and pepper In mixing bowl, combine chicken, peas, carrots, onions and milk mixture. Pour into pie crust, top with other crust and seal. Cut four slits in top crust. Bake on cokie sheet for 35 minutes at 375 degrees.

Turkey Divan

Here's another dish I look forward to after Thanksgiving. The recipe is originally from my high school dietitian and it was voted the student's favorite. Don't worry, this was a prep school, well-known for its delicious food.

• 2 10 oz. packages frozen broccoli
• 2 cups diced turkey
• 2 cans cream of chicken soup
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar
• 1/2 cup soft bread crumbs
• 1 tablespoon melted butter

Cook and grain broccoli and arrange in greased casserole dish. Add turkey. Mix soup, mayo, lemon juice and curry, pour over turkey and broccoli. Cover with cheese. Combine last three ingredients, sprinkle over all. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Classic Lasagna

My Girl Scouts made this last night for our assistant leader, who just had a baby.

• 1 lb ground beef
• 14.5 oz can stewed tomatos
• 3/4 cup water
• 12 oz tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon parsley flakes
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic
• 12 oz cottage cheese
• 12 oz ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
• 2 eggs
• 1 pound mozzarella cheese

8 oz lasagna noodles (I use the kind you don't have to boil first.)
Brown and drain beef. In saucepan, mix tomatoes, water, tomato paste and spices, add beef and heat until bubbly. Blend cottage, ricotta and Parmesan cheese with beaten eggs.
Put 1/2 cup meat sauce in bottom of greased pan. Layer 1/2 each of noodles, meat sauce, mozzarella and cheese sauce. Repeat layers, top with extra Parmesan if desired. Bake at 350 for 1 hour.

All-in-one Pork Chop and Potato Casserole

I adapted this recipe when I was looking for a full meal casserole I could carry to my husband's elderly grandmother's house to serve for Christmas Eve dinner. It got the full approval of the family!

• 8 pork chops
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 14 oz can chicken broth
• 1/2 cup water
• 10 oz frozen peas and carrots (optional)
• 4 cups prepared mashed potatoes

Grill or pan fry pork chops, reserve 1/2 cup drippings (I like the George Foreman for this). Prepare frozen vegetables, if desired, drain and set aside. Place pork chops in large casserole dish. In skillet, heat butter with pork drippings. Saute onion and garlic for 2-3 minutes. Add flour and stir until pasty. Mix in salt, pepper and poultry seasoning. Gradually add chicken broth, then water, stirring constantly until thick and bubbly. Mix in vegetables and heat thoroughly. Pour over pork chops. Spread mashed potatoes over mixture, seal edges. Cook 25-35 minutes at 350 degrees. If refrigerated before cooking, allow plenty of extra time.

Easy Chicken and Stuffing Casserole

Great when you want to prepare a fancy-looking dish quickly. Easy and delicious! Substitute low-fat soup and skim milk for the soup and sour cream to reduce the calories; you'll barely notice.

• 4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 1 package Stove Top Stuffing

Mix studding with water and seasonings according to package directions. Place chicken in greased casserole dish. Mix soup and sour cream, pour over chicken. Top with stuffing. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.

Spinach Lasagna

A favorite of vegetarians at our church's annual lasagna dinner for the college students. To hold down the calories, I use fat-free ricotta and cottage cheeses. It's easy to double the recipe and make a batch to freeze.

• 1 envelope spaghetti sauce mix
• 6 oz. tomato paste
• 15.5 oz tomato sauce
• 2.5 cups water
• 2 beaten eggs
• 8 oz. ricotta cheese
• 8 oz cottage cheese
• 2 10 oz. packages frozen spinach
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 8 oz. no-cook lasagna noddles
• 12 oz sliced mozzarella cheese

Mix first four ingredients in saucepan, bring to boil. Thaw and drain spinach, mix with eggs, ricotta and cottage cheeses and 1/4 cup Parmesan. Put one cup tomato mixture in a greased lasagna pan. Layer half of noodles, spinach mixture, mozzarella, then tomato mixture. Repeat layers, then sprinkle with last of Parmesan cheese.
Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting into squares.

Mexican Turkey Bake

Anyone remember the "Flaming Turkey Wings" Pizza Hut commercial from the late 1980's? It came out at holiday time, and showed a man sitting at the dinner table. Plates were placed in front of him as a version of "Twelve Days of Christmas" blares in the background:

On the first day after Christmas, my true love gave to me...
Leftover tur-ur-ur-key!
On the second day after Christmas, my true love gave to me...
Turkey casserole made from leftover tur-ur-ur-key!

Cut then to the announcer reminding the folks how good something different would taste, and suggesting they come immediately to Pizza Hut, where there would be no leftover turkey. Cut back to the increasingly-sick-looking guy contemplating another platter, containing (instead of Five Golden Rings)

Flaming Turkey Wings!

All this is a roundabout way of introducing this recipe, which is a great use for leftover turkey, but whose taste is sufficiently different you don't feel like you're eating another round of leftovers.

• 1 box Uncle Ben's Long Grain Rice


• 1 can enchilada sauce


• 1 can corn with sweet peppers


• 1 small can diced chiles


• 3 cups diced turkey


• Shredded cheddar cheese (optional)


• Sour cream (optional)

Prepare rice according to directions. mix rice, corn, sauce, chiles, and turkey together, spoon into large greased casserole. Bake at 350 degrees for 3o-45 minutes or until hot. If desired, sprinkle with cheese for last 5 minutes. Serve with sour cream.
Sorry if this cuts into your post-holiday business, Pizza Hut. Once we had a friend visit for Thanksgiving; he made omelets out of the leftover casserole that were also delicious. Ah, the joys of recycling!