Chicken Parmesan Casserole

This casserole gives you the same flavor as the traditional chicken Parmesan dish. Same but different! That’s fun, right? It’s really easy and super good and the leftovers are great. Casseroles are always welcome here because we can eat from them a couple of times and IT Guy can take them to work for his lunch. He’s not picky about leftovers and I’m thankful for that! So if you’re on the hunt for an easy casserole for YOUR gang, try this!

Chicken Parmesan Casserole

2 large chicken breasts ~ pounded thin

1 23-ounce jar pasta sauce

1 small onion ~ chopped

2 cloves garlic ~ minced

1 cup bread crumbs

1/2 cup flour

2 eggs ~ beaten

2 - 3 cups dry pasta (rotini, penne, etc) ~ cooked and drained

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Salt and pepper to taste

2 cups grated mozzarella cheese

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Oil for frying ~ about 1 cup

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 9x13 inch baking pan with cooking spray.

Combine bread crumbs with Italian seasoning and salt and pepper.

In three separate shallow dishes place the eggs, flour and seasoned bread crumbs.

Dip each chicken breast in the flour, then in the beaten egg then the seasoned bread crumbs.

Fry each chicken breast on each side in medium-hot oil until almost done. Drain on paper towel. Set aside.

Pour almost all the oil from the pan and saute the onion and garlic for about 5 minutes.

Cut chicken breasts into large bit sized pieces.

Combine the cut up chicken, sauted onion & garlic, 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese, 1/2 cup of the Parmesan cheese, cooked pasta and pasta sauce in a large bowl.

Pour into the prepared pan and cover with foil. Cook for 30 minutes.

Remove foil and sprinkle with remaining cheeses and bake another 5 minutes until cheese has melted.

Here we go!

Pound the chicken thin, then dip in the flour, then the egg then the seasoned bread crumbs.

Fry 'em up!

Saute the onion and garlic.

Cut the cooked chicken then combine it with the onion/garlic, cooked noodles and 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese and 1/2 cup of the parmesan cheese.

Pour the pasta sauce over the chicken mixture.

Spread the mixture into your prepared pan, cover and bake for 30 minutes.

Remove foil then sprinkle with remaining cheese and bake another 5 - 10 minutes until cheese is melted.

Here you go...all yummy for you!

Loaded Baked Potato Casserole

This was a recipe I made and served on Christmas day. We had it along with our prime rib and I must say...delicious! My mom kept commenting on how good this dish was and she was right! It makes a bunch so it’s great for a crowd but it’s also okay to make it up and freeze half before baking. we really enjoyed this super easy casserole...I think you will, too!

Loaded Baked Potato Casserole

 

1 4-pound bag red potatoes

1 stick butter ~ softened

1 cup sour cream

4 ounces cream cheese

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 package bacon ~ diced and cooked crisp

2 cloves garlic ~ sliced

2 - 3 green onions ~ chopped

3 cups grated cheddar cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

 

Spray a 9x13 inch casserole dish with cooking spray. 

 

Peel 2/3 of the skin from the potatoes then slice and place in a large dutch oven with water. 

 

Boil until potatoes and garlic together until the potatoes are done. Drain.

 

Mash potatoes with a potato masher to desired chunky consistency.

 

Stir the butter, cream cheese, heavy cream, sour cream, 2 cups of the cheese, half of the cooked bacon, half of the green onions and salt and pepper into the potatoes. 

 

Place potato mixture into your prepared pan.

 

Cover and bake in a 350 degree preheated oven for 30 minutes.

 

Remove foil and sprinkle with remaining cheese, bacon and green onions and bake for another 10 - 15 minutes or until cheese on top has melted. 

 

Serves 8 - 10.

Hmmm....I’m not sure why I didn’t get a picture of all the ingredients. Oh well.

Peel the potatoes but leave a little of the skin on.

Slice the potatoes then boil the potatoes with the garlic.

Dice and cook the bacon until crisp.

Add 2 cups of the cheese, half of the bacon, half of the green onion, the butter, cream cheese, sour cream and heavy cream to the potatoes and mash. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Place potato mixture into the prepared pan and bake!

Serve it up! Serves 8 - 10!

Tasty Slow Cooker Country Ribs

Step 1: Buy ribs. Step 2: Pour sauce over ribs. Step 3: Cook. Step 4: Eat. Seriously guys...it's just. That. Easy. IT Guy loved this and to be honest...I kinda did too! I loved the ease of it most of all and sometimes I wish all cooking could be this easy. This is a keeper, fo'sho'!! Not much else to say except...you should make this!

Tasty Slow Cooker Country Ribs



8 bone-in country style pork ribs
1 cup ketchup
1 cup bbq sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 clove garlic ~ minced
2 tablespoons dried, minced onion
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
1 teaspoon ground mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Place ribs in the slow cooker.

Whisk together the rest of the ingredients in a medium bowl and pour over ribs.

Cook on high for 6 - 7 hours or until ribs are tender.

 
Let me show how easy this is.

 
Mix.

 
Pour.

 
Cook. Eat. See?

Kielbasa Fried Rice

When I made this, it was one of those times where I had to make a couple of different things for dinner. I was in the mood for Chinese and of course, IT Guy won’t touch it so a quick Mexican food dish was made for him and everyone is happy! Leftovers for both of us! This little dish is really good....really simple to throw together and a fun twist on the regular fried rice. Serve it along side a few fried won tons and you’ve got yourself a fun and delicious dinner! 

Kielbasa Fried Rice

2 - 3 green onions ~ finely chopped

2 eggs ~ beaten

1/2 teaspoon salt

Pepper to taste

2 - 3 tablespoons oil for stir-frying ~ divided use

2 cups cold cooked rice

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 cup frozen peas and carrots

1 12-ounce package Kielbasa or smoked sausage ~ cut into 1/4” “coins”

Drizzle a little vegetable oil (about 2 tablespoons) into a large skillet. Add the Kielbasa and cook on both sides until the sausage has some color....about 10 minutes or so. Remove sausage to a plate.

Add the eggs to the skillet and scramble the eggs until almost done. Remove eggs to a plate. Wipe skillet clean.

Drizzle a little more oil into the skillet and add the rice. Stir-fry for a few minutes, breaking it apart as it heats. Stir in the soy sauce, salt and pepper.

Stir the kielbasa,green onions, eggs and veggies into the pan with the rice.

Cover and allow to cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes to cook the veggies and heat through.

Here we go!

Saute the kielbasa in a little oil until lightly browned.

Remove sausage to a plate then scramble the eggs.

Remove the eggs from the pan to a plate then stir fry the rice.

Add the soy sauce, salt and pepper and stir.

Add the kielbasa, frozen veggies, scrambled eggs and green onions to the rice. Cover and allow to cook on medium for about 10 minutes to cook the veggies and heat through.

YUM!

Simple Crumb Cake

Do you remember snack cakes back in the day? You know the days of Ding-Dong’s and Ho-Ho’s? Well...those snack cakes were sold right alongside all the other goodies we ate when we were kids. I was a Ding-Dong girl, but every once in a while, I loved me a crumb cake. Tender cake with a cinnamon topping that was SO good! And this cake reminds me of those little treats! Having things like this around the house to snack on is perfect for me. One reason I like it is because it gives me something to throw in IT Guy’s lunch every day. I’m not a fan of making sack lunches, so the easier, the better as far as I’m concerned. This little cake is really easy, doesn’t make a HUGE pan and tastes great! What else do you need?

 

Simple Crumb Cake

Crumb mixture

 

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour

1/3 cup brown sugar ~ packed

1/3 cup sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter ~ melted

 

In a medium bowl, combine the melted butter, sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt.

Set aside.

For the cake:

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8x8 inch baking pan with cooking spray.

 

1 cup flour

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/8 baking soda

1/4 salt

5 tablespoons butter ~ softened

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 cup milk

1/4 cup sour cream

 

In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

In another mixing bowl, beat the butter with the sugar until fluffy.

Add the egg.

Add half of the flour mixture.

Add the sour cream and milk and blend.

Add the remaining flour mixture and mix until just combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl.

Pour mixture into prepared 8x8 pan.

Sprinkle crumb mixture on top of the batter.

Bake 30 minutes.

Cool, slice and eat!

The line up!

For the topping, in a medium bowl, combine the melted butter, sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt.

 

Stir in the flour until combined. Set aside.

 

For the cake, in a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

 

Beat the sugar and butter until fluffy.

 

Add the egg.

Add half of the flour.

 

Add the milk and sour cream.

 

Add the rest of the flour.

 

Crumble the topping over the batter.

Bake!

Yummy!

Slow Cooker Seasoned Beef

IT Guy is a carnivore. Meat eater all the way. So when he walks in the door at night and smells beef cooking, he’s a happy guy. This made him VERY happy. It’ll make YOU happy too because it’s so simple. Throw a few ingredients together and pour it over your roast of choice and dinner is served in a few hours later.

Slow Cooker Seasoned Beef

1 2-3 pound piece of meat (chuck roast, London broil, brisket, etc)

1/2 large onion ~ diced

2 cloves garlic ~ minced

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke (found in the condiment aisle)

1/4 cup beef broth

3 tablespoons chili sauce

Place meat in the slow cooker.

Combine the rest of the ingredients in a medium bowl then pour over the meat.

Cook on low 7 - 8 hours until meat is tender.

Slice across the grain and serve with pan juices.

Let's cook!

Mix up all the stuff to pour over the meat!

Then pour over the meat. Allow to cook on low 7-8 hours.

Slice and eat!

Bacon Cheeseburger Roll

Talk about easy! This little meal is just about the easiest thing to make ever but delivers a hearty meal. Tastes just like a cheeseburger, too! You can add pickles on the side or baked right in, if you want. Serve with some ketchup and mustard or some bbq sauce. Add a side salad and some oven baked fries and you’ve got yourself a great family friendly meal! 

Bacon Cheeseburger Roll

1 pound ground beef

8 ounces Velveeta cheese ~ cubed

1/2 large onion ~ diced

5 slices bacon ~ chopped

1 refrigerated pizza crust 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a rimmed cookie sheet with cooking spray.

In a large skillet, brown the ground beef, bacon and onion until done. 

Add the cubed Velveeta and stir until melted. 

Lay pizza crust onto the cookie sheet and press into a 10x15 inch rectangle. 

Spread meat mixture onto pizza crust, leaving an inch all around the edges. 

Start rolling up the pizza crust from one of the LONG ends. Arrange roll seam side down on cookie sheet, tucking in the ends. 

Brush with a beaten egg, if desired. 

Bake for 25 - 30 minutes or until golden brown on top.

Allow to sit for a few minutes before slicing.

Let's get going!

Brown the ground beef, onion and 

bacon until done. Add salt and pepper if desired.

Then add the Velveeta.

Cook and stir until melted.

Press you pizza dough into a 

rectangle then add the meat mixture. 

Roll it up!

Bake then allow to sit for a 

few minutes before slicing.

Serve it up with any sides you like!