Cinnamon Toast Breakfast Bake

There’s nothing better than breakfast for dessert....or dinner, right? I’m not much on breakfast for breakfast but serve it to me any other time and I’m okay with that. This little casserole is easy and works for just about any time. I served ours with a cream cheese frosting but maple syrup would be great, too. It reheats nicely in the microwave if by chance you have any leftovers. Keep this around for the upcoming holidays when you need a quick and easy dish to serve!

Cinnamon Toast Breakfast Bake

1 loaf french bread ~ cut into 1/2 in slices

1 cup milk

6 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

6 teaspoons cinnamon ~ divided use

2 teaspoons nutmeg

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 cup ready made (or homemade) cream cheese frosting OR maple syrup

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13 inch casserole dish with cooking spray.

Arrange one layer of the sliced french bread in the bottom of the prepared pan.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, vanilla, 3 teaspoons of the cinnamon, and nutmeg.

Pour half of the egg/milk mixture over the sliced bread in the casserole dish.

Arrange the remaining bread on top of the bread in the dish and pour the egg/milk mixture over everything.

In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar and the remaining cinnamon and sprinkle it on top of the soaked bread.

(At this point you can cover with foil and chill it for several hours or overnight to cook later.)

Bake for 25 minutes or until lightly browned.

Allow to cool about 10 minutes then serve with cream cheese frosting or maple syrup.

Chicken Spinach Tortellini Bake

I’m pretty sure there’s nothing as good as pasta and cheese. In just about any combination. This little casserole is so yummy and so easy! Plus...with a pregnant daughter who can’t hardly stand to get in the kitchen and cook anything, a casserole that normally would go into a 9x13 inch pan, gets split into two 9x9 inch pans so I can give one to her. IT Guy and I certainly don’t need all that food so it works all the way around. I had this dish thrown together in less than 30 minutes and it only baked for a few minutes then dinner was done!

Chicken Spinach Tortellini Bake

2 cups cooked, diced chicken

2 cups chopped, fresh spinach

1 12-ounce package cheese tortellini ~ cooked and drained (reserve about 1 cup pasta water)

1 cup grated mozzarella cheese

1 cup grated parmesan cheese

2 cloves garlic ~ minced

3 tablespoons flour

6 strips bacon ~ diced

2 cups milk

Salt and pepper to taste

2 teaspoons lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.

In a large skillet, cook diced bacon until crispy. Remove to a plate to drain. Reserve drippings.

Saute the garlic in the bacon drippings for about 1 minute.

Add the flour and whisk for a minute or so.

Pour in the milk and cook and stir until smooth.

Stir in the salt, pepper and lemon juice. Turn off heat.

Add 3/4 cups of both cheeses and stir until cheeses melt then stir in the chopped spinach.

Gently stir in the diced, cooked chicken and the cooked tortellini.

Add a little bit of the reserved pasta water to thin out the mixture, if needed.

Pour mixture into the prepared pan and sprinkle with remaining cheeses.

Cover with foil and bake for 20 - 30 minutes or until hot.

How about we make a casserole?

Dice the bacon then fry it up crisp. Remove it from the pan when done.

Add the garlic into the bacon 

drippings and cook for a minute or so.

Now add the flour and cook 

and stir until smooth.

Add the milk.

And the lemon juice, salt and 

pepper and cook until thickened.

Add 3/4 cup of each of the cheeses. 

Stir until melted.

Stir in the chopped spinach.

Next stir in the cooked tortellini 

and the cooked, diced chicken.

Pour the mixture into the prepared pan(s) then sprinkle with remaining cheeses.

Bake and serve!

Cheesy Broccoli Chicken Bake

Well, well, well...what do you know! This is pretty good. My DIL brought me a bag of frozen chicken breasts the other day so I thawed them out to use for dinner. Then my mom called and told me she was bringing me some fried chicken so I wouldn’t have to cook. So I threw that bagged chicken in the fridge faster that a jack rabbit on a hot tar road. But I knew I’d need to use it in the next day or so and THIS is what I came up with. I scoured the pantry for things that would work in this recipe because I did NOT want to go to the store. So, after all that, this recipe turned out really good and something that I’ll be making again. Soon!

Cheesy Broccoli Chicken Bake

 

1 1/2 cups elbow macaroni ~ cooked al dente

2 cups broccoli florettes ~ washed, blanched

2 -3 cups cooked chicken ~ diced or shredded

1 small onion ~ diced

1 clove garlic ~ minced

3 tablespoons flour

3 tablespoons butter

3 cups sharp cheddar cheese ~ divided use

4 ounces cream cheese ~ room temperature

1/4 cup sour cream

1 cup milk

1 cup heavy cream

Salt and pepper to taste

1 cup Panko bread crumbs

4 tablespoons butter ~ melted

 

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

 

In a small bowl, combine the Panko bread crumbs and the melted butter. Set aside.

 

In a large skillet, saute the onion and garlic over medium heat for a couple of minutes.

 

Melt the butter in the pan then add the flour and cook for a minute or so.

 

Pour in the milk and cream and cook until thick. Add salt and pepper to taste.

 

Add the sour cream, cream cheese and 2 cups of the grated cheese. 

 

Cook and stir until melted and well combined.

 

In a large bowl, combine the cooked pasta, cooked chicken, the remaining 1 cup of cheddar cheese and blanched broccoli.

 

Pour cheese sauce over everything and toss gently to coat.

 

Pour into prepared pan and sprinkle with Panko crumb mixture.

 

Bake for 30 -45 minutes or until lightly browned and bubbly.

Let's make a casserole! I also used panko...which I forgot to add to the picture! Oopsies!

Cook the onions and garlic in a little 

olive oil then melt the butter in the pan.

Add the flour and cook 

that for a minute or so.

Up next, the milk and cream and cook until thick. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Next comes the cream cheese, sour cream and 2 cups of the grated cheese.

Stir that around until the cheese 

is melted and the mixture is smooth.

In a large bowl, add the cooked chicken, blanched broccoli, pasta, the remaining cheese and the sauce. Toss to coat.

Pour the mixture into the pan 

and top with the panko mixture.

Bake it up....enjoy!!

Chicken Alfredo Ziti Bake

I had to take something to a friends house last week for a get-together. I don’t know why but potluck type functions always throw me into a small panic because I think ACK!! I DON’T HAVE ANYTHING! MY MIND IS BLANK! WHAT IF THEY DON’T LIKE IT? I DON”T KNOW WHAT TO DOOOOOOOO!!!! That’s my insecurities talking, right there. You probably can’t tell by my page and my friends would think I was nuts, but I’ve always been an introvert. I’m more comfortable blending in with the wall paper. I always pushed my older brother ahead of me...to talk for me...and I do the same with IT Guy. Anyway...I settled on this dish to take to try out for my church friends. I figured, if anyone can be forgiving on a dish that may or may not be fit to eat, they can. Turns out, it turned out! This was excellent. And the way I could tell it was good? The dish was nearly wiped clean. I think there was only one tiny serving left when it was time to go. So yay!

Chicken Alfredo Ziti Bake

12 ounces ziti pasta ~ cooked al dente

3 cups cooked, shredded chicken (can use rotisserie chicken)

1 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons flour

3 - 4 garlic cloves ~ minced

1 cup chicken stock

1 cup milk

3 cups grated mozzarella cheese

Salt & pepper to taste

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

In a medium sauce pan, melt the butter over medium heat.

Add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant...about 2 minutes.

Whisk in the flour and cook and stir an additional 2 minutes.

Pour in the chicken stock and the milk and cook and stir until thickened.

Add the grated Parmesan cheese and the salt and pepper. Stir until cheese melts.

Cook pasta and drain. Return pasta to the pot and add the cooked, shredded chicken.

Pour in the Alfredo sauce and toss to coat.

Add half of the pasta mixture to the baking pan then half of the mozzarella cheese.

Repeat with remaining pasta mixture and mozzarella cheese.

Bake for 25 - 30 minutes until cheese has melted and begins to brown.

Here we go! Let's cook!

Cook the garlic in the butter for a few minutes.

Then add the flour and cook and stir for a minute or so.

Add the chicken stock and the milk and cook until thickened. Then add the parmesan cheese, salt and pepper and stir until cheese has melted.

Pour the sauce over the cooked and drained pasta and the cooked and shredded chicken. Stir to coat.

Pour half of the pasta mixture into the prepared pan then half of the mozzarella cheese. Repeat with remaining pasta mixture and cheese.

Bake and serve!

Cheesy Rotini Bake

Pasta is a family favorite around the SFFS house!  What's nice about this dish is that it's similar to lasagna without all the intense layering. I've decided one thing about myself and that is I'm not a froo-froo kinda gal. Anything I can make with little to no fuss, I'm all about that, which is one reason I like this dish. This went over like gang-busters in my house....IT Guy even took some to work with him for lunch a couple of days. It makes a lot so if you need to feed a large family or a crowd...or you like leftovers....then this is the dish for YOU! Oh...and it's delicious!

Cheesy Rotini Bake



1 pound ground beef
1 small onion ~ diced
2 cloves garlic ~ minced
1 23-ounce jar pasta sauce
3 cups grated mozzarella cheese
1 15-ounce container ricotta cheese
1 egg
2 teaspoons salt ~ divided use
1 teaspoon pepper ~ divided use
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning ~ divided use
8 ounces Rotini pasta ~ cooked and drained

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13 inch pan with cooking spray.

In a large skillet, saute the onion and garlic for about 5 minutes.

Add the ground beef and cooked until meat is done.

Pour in the pasta sauce and heat through.

Mix together the ricotta, eggs, salt, pepper and Italian seasoning.

Spread 2 cups of the meat mixture on the bottom of the prepared pan.

Add half of the Rotini pasta then sprinkle with 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese.

Dollop large spoonfuls of the ricotta mixture over the mozzarella.

Add more sauce and repeat until all ingredients are used.

Cover with foil and bake about 30 - 45 minutes until bubbly.

 
Here we go!

 
Saute the onion and garlic 
then add the ground beef.

 
Stir in the pasta sauce and heat through.

 
Mix up the ricotta, egg, Italian 
seasoning and salt and pepper.

 
Spread some sauce in the bottom 
of the pan then add some pasta.

 
Then dollop some ricotta on top 
and sprinkle with some mozzarella.

 
Repeat until all ingredients are used.

 
Then bake!

 
Then eat!

Chicken Potato Cheesy Bake

When you make this....and trust me, you will WANT to make this....you're going to wonder where it's been all your life because that's exactly what I thought! Aside from cooking a little bacon in a skillet, all of this goes into the pan you're baking it in for one simple, delicious dinner! This is something the WHOLE family will love...over and over!

Chicken Potato Cheesy Bake



2 large potatoes ~ diced
2 chicken breasts ~ diced
3 cups shredded cheese
3 green onions ~ chopped
1/2 pound bacon ~ diced and cooked crisp
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup heavy cream
4 tablespoons butter ~ cut into pieces

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

Scatter half of the diced potatoes on the bottom of the baking dish.

Then scatter half of the diced chicken on top of the potatoes then salt and pepper.

Sprinkle 1 cup of the cheese then half of the bacon and half of the green onions.

Top with the remaining potatoes, 1 cup of cheese, remaining green onion and the rest of the bacon.

Pour the heavy cream over the top then dot with butter.

Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour.

Remove foil, then top with the last cup of cheese.

Allow to sit for 10 minutes before serving.

 

The line up! 

 

Scatter half of the diced potatoes 

on the bottom of the baking dish. 

Then scatter half of the diced 

chicken on top of the potatoes 

then salt and pepper.

 

Then some bacon.

 

Then some cheese.

 

Green onions....then more potatoes and cheese.

 

Pour the cream over all then dot with butter.

 

Cover and bake for an hour.

 

Remove the foil and sprinkle with 

the remaining cheese and pop back 

in the oven for a bit.

 

All baked!

 

Time to eat!!!