Tag: Casserole

Veggie Mac & Cheese
Dinner · Recipes

Veggie Mac & Cheese

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Veggie Mac & Cheese

One of my favorite dishes since childhood is Mac & Cheese, but now that I’m an adult I like adding a variety of veggies. That’s why this Veggie Mac & Cheese recipe is so great! This dish is packed full of deep rich flavors and will please the entire family. You can have this as a side dish or as the main course for a comforting family meal. This dish takes a little bit work and time, so it may be best to make this one on the weekend especially if you have a lot of after work/school activities throughout the week. This dish also reheats well thus making it a hit for leftovers!

This dish works best with fresh ingredients as opposed to frozen. If you were to use frozen vegetables it could make this dish a little on the soggy side. The style of noodles that I like to use gives this dish a nice bite and a fun appearance, but you may use any style of noodle that you are accustomed to. The key is not over cooking your noodles so they don’t turn to mush while baking. This dish has such a robust flavor and is nice and rich with all of the veggies and the cheese sauce. Now, I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as my family does!

Veggie Mac & Cheese

VEGGIE MAC & CHEESE

Ingredients:

  • 1 pkg (16 oz) Cellentani Pasta, cooked al dente
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 pint Sangria medley tomatoes
  • 1 pkg (12 oz) pkg baby spinach
  • 1 pkg mushrooms, chopped
  • 1 medium sweet onion, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 6 Tbsp butter
  • 6 Tbsp flour
  • 2 1/2 cups chicken stock (I like Better Than Bouillon Base)
  • 2 1/2 cups whole milk
  • 1 pkg (16 oz) mozzarella cheese, cubed
  • 3/4 cup Italian Panko breadcrumbs
  • Parmesan cheese, grated for garnish
  • Parsley, chopped for garnish

Directions:

  • Preheat oven to 375 degree F.
  • Prepare a large and deep baking dish with cooking spray to avoid sticking. Set aside.
  • In a large stock pot boil noodles, drain and set aside.
  • In a large sauce pan add tomatoes to hot pan to blister and burst. Once most of the tomatoes have burst add onions and garlic; cook until onions are soft. Add spinach to wilt. Remove to a bowl and set aside.
  • Add mushrooms to saucepan and brown. Once browned remove and add to tomato mixture; set aside.
  • Add butter to pan and melt. Once melted add flour and whisk until mixed well and flour smell has cooked off. Slowly add milk while whisking. Slowly add stock while whisking. Cook for roughly 10 minutes or until thick and bubbly.
  • Remove from heat and add cheese; whisk until melted and incorporated.
  • Add veggies and noodles to sauce. Stir well to mix throughout.
  • Add to prepared baking dish. Top with panko and remaining olive oil.
  • Bake uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes or until browned and bubbly.
  • Remove from oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes before serving.
  • Before serving top with parsley and Parmesan cheese.
  • Enjoy!
Chicken and Veggie Pasta Bake
Dinner · Recipes

Chicken and Veggie Pasta Bake

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This is a yummy was to bake up a fast weeknight meal that is packed full of something everyone loves! I like to make this Chicken and Veggie Pasta Bake on the regular and I really enjoy how versatile this dish is. You can choose all sorts of veggie combinations with this recipe. It should be fun to try new combos. Keep in mind the season as you could always utilize fresh from the garden veggies like squash and zucchini or even a variety of peppers. In the winter months, I like to use mushrooms and peas because frozen peas work great in a dish like this. There are a couple of staples that are must for a deep and rich flavor. Those staples include Parmesan cheese and sliced almonds. Without these key ingredients your dish would be missing that crunchy topping that completes the whole dish. Now, I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do!

Chicken And Veggie Pasta Bake

CHICKEN AND VEGGIE PASTA BAKE

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cooked and sliced (cook it how you like it…grilled is our favorite!)
  • 3 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 (16 oz) pkg angel hair pasta, cooked and cooled
  • 1 (8 oz) pkg mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 bundle asparagus, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 3 Tbsp white wine
  • 3 Tbsp flour
  • 3 cups milk (room temp)
  • 1 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
  • 1/2 cup sliced almonds
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

  • Cook chicken according to your preference. We prefer to grill the chicken, rest it and then slice it. You could even bake or roast the chicken and then shred it.
  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and butter a casserole dish.
  • Cook pasta to just under; should only boil for 1 minute.
  • Sauté mushrooms in a hot pan until juices start to run out and they become brown, add white wine and asparagus; cook for 3 additional minutes. Remove veggies and leave liquid in the hot pan.
  • Add butter to liquid and allow to melt and bubble. Add flour and cook for 2 minutes or until the flour smell has dissipated; add milk and cook for 5 minutes stirring constantly. Once gravy is thick remove from heat.
  • Stir in 1/2 cup of cheese and add pasta, veggies and chicken; combine well.
  • Add pasta mixture to baking dish. Top with almonds and the rest of the cheese.
  • Bake for 20 minutes or until bubbly.
  • Let rest for a couple of minutes before serving.
  • Enjoy!
Rich and Delectable Brunch of BLT Frittata and Hash Brown Casserole
Breakfast · Recipes

Rich and Delectable Brunch of BLT Frittata and Hash Brown Casserole

enbrookshire1 Comment
BLT Frittata and Hash Brown Casserole for a brunch.

When I became a mom I found the loveliness in a fulfilling brunch. My girl likes to sleep in on most Saturday’s and this gives me the opportunity to sneak downstairs and make a delicious brunch that is sure to carry my family over until well into the afternoon. Before the Covid Quarantine, Saturday’s had our family on the go….whether it was going out of town to visit grandparents, running our weekly errands or traveling to the NC Zoo (our favorite place!) we were ALWAYS on the go! With all that traveling and going we need something that keeps us going! That’s why I like a filling brunch of BLT Frittata and Hash Brown Casserole.

Today I’d like to share two recipes that are always a quick, easy and fulfilling hit at my house…the BLT Frittata and Hash Brown Casserole. Now I know I said this is a great brunch, but we have enjoyed this for breakfast, brunch, lunch and even dinner….we just prefer it for brunch since it is so filling.

I really enjoy cooking for my family and if there is one thing that we all love it’s cheese! I like experimenting with different cheeses for my Hash Brown Casserole and I know my family loves the richness of a strong extra sharp white cheddar, but this is where you can get really creative by using whatever cheese your family enjoys. I also like to use my cast iron skillet to make the Frittata because it cooks up so fast and is always full of flavor.

The casserole takes the longest to cook, so that would be a good time to have a big cup of coffee and start to prep the frittata ingredients. The Frittata takes less than 10 minutes to make from start to finish, so I always start my frittata after I pull my casserole out of the oven to cool…this will ensure that your entire meal comes together perfectly and everything will be warm. Here are the recipes for both the BLT Frittata and Hash Brown Casserole. I hope you enjoy making and eating these as much as we do!

BLT Frittata

BLT Frittata

Ingredients:

  • 8 large eggs
  • 3 slices of bacon, cooked and chopped
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 1 cup salad greens (I used herb salad mix)
  • 2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
  • Chives to finish

Directions:

  • Set oven to broil.
  • Heat skillet up on stove top to medium heat.
  • Whisk eggs together with salt and pepper, pour into skillet. Cook eggs without storing until eggs begin to set on bottom and sprinkle with chopped bacon.
  • Place skillet in oven and broil eggs for 3 to 4 minutes or until eggs begin to brown and are set. Carefully remove from broiler.
  • Combine lettuce mix, tomatoes, olive oil and vinegar into a bowl and toss to coat.
  • Once frittata has cooled, top with a sprinkle of chives and the greens mixture in center for a nice presentation.
Hash Brown Casserole

Hash Brown Casserole

Ingredients:

  • 1 (32 oz) bag of frozen hash browns, thawed
  • 1/2 cup butter, melted
  • 1 (10.25 oz) can of cream of chicken soup
  • 1 (8 oz) container of sour cream
  • 2 cups extra sharp white cheddar, shredded
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • Parsley for finishing

Directions:

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
  • Stir all ingredients together in a large bowl until well combined.
  • Place mixture into a well greased 13×9 casserole dish.
  • Bake 45 to 55 minutes, or until top is golden brown.
  • Let cool for about 10 minutes before serving.
  • Add a sprinkle of parsley to finish.