Everything in My Fridge Casserole

Tags

artichokes, broccoli, casserole, cheese, food, main dish, pork, wild rice

I had a fridge full of food but none of it was in any semblance of an actual meal. So I created a dish inspired by this recipe from Smitten Kitchen.

Wild Rice, Pork, and Broccoli Cheese Casserole

• 3 tbsp butter
• 1/2 large onion, diced
• 2/3 cup wild rice blend
• 1 garlic clove, minced or pressed
• 1/2 lb ground pork
• 1/2 lb fresh broccoli, cut into small florettes
• 1 can artichoke hearts, halved (I used leftover artichokes)
• 1/2 tsp ground mustard powder
• Pinch of cayenne pepper
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole milk
• 2/3 cup low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
• 8 oz cheddar cheese, coarsely grated
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a medium sauce pan, melt 1 tbsp of butter. Add the onion and saute until translucent. Add the rice and continue to cook for another minute. Add 1 1/3 water and a generous amount of salt. Cover with a lid and bring to a simmer. Cook until soft. When done, set aside.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a cast iron skillet, add the broccoli and the pork. Fry together until the pork is done. Cover intermittently to help the broccoli steam a bit. When done, combine the broccoli/pork mix with the rice and the artichoke hearts.

In the rice pot, melt 2 tbsp of butter over medium heat. Add the mustard powder, cayenne, and garlic. Let cook for a minute then whisk in the flour. Allow to cook, constantly whisking, for another minute or so. Slowly add the milk, continuing to whisk. Then add the broth. Bring to a summer and allow to thicken slightly. Whisk in 1/3 of the grated cheese. Season with desired amount of salt and pepper.

Pour the sauce over the rice/pork mixture. Sprinkle on the remaining cheese over the top. Bake casserole for 10 to 15 minutes, until bubbly and the cheese is slightly browning. Serves 4.

Ham, Cheddar, and Potato Frittata

Tags

breakfast, casserole, cheese, easy, egg, food, frittata, gluten free, ham, meal, quick

My new job is great. It is not great to home at 630pm (at the earliest) every night and still have to fix dinner. I know I could just not cook but what would I eat for lunch the next day? Cafeteria food is ok sometimes but it’s greasiness and boring flavors get old. I mean, how many slices of pizza and chicken strips can one person eat?!? This meal is quick and good for any of the three meals in busy day.

Ham, Cheddar, and Potato Frittata (from Alaska From Scratch)

• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 cup russet potatoes, peeled and chopped in small, uniform cubes
• 1 cup diced ham
• 6 eggs
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1-1/2 cup cheddar cheese, grated
• 1/3 cup green onions, thinly sliced
• Salt and pepper to taste

Heat a 9 inch cast iron skillet over medium heat. Melt butter. Add potatoes and cook, stirring frequently, until  tender (mine took about 12 minutes, but it will depend on how small you cut them). Add diced ham to the potatoes and cook another 2 minutes.

In a bowl, whisk eggs, milk, 1 cup of cheese, green onions, salt and pepper. Pour into skillet, give a quick stir, cover, and reduce heat to low. Cook for 6 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat broiler. Remove lid from pan and top with remaining cheese. Transfer skillet to broiler and broil until eggs are set (no longer jiggling and firm to the touch), cheese is melted, and top begins to only gently brown. Garnish with more green onion. Cut into wedges. Serves 6.

Breakfast Casserole

Tags

breakfast, casserole, Christmas, food, holiday, morning, sausage, Southern, vegetables

Breakfast on Christmas morning should be tasty and quick. You don’t want to take too much time away from opening Santa’s presents. Any ingredient you would add to an omelet can be added to this casserole.

Breakfast Casserole (from Old World Garden Farms)

• 3 slices bread
• 1/2 lb. ground sausage, cooked & drained
• 1/8 c. yellow bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 6 oz fresh mushrooms, sauteed
• Large handful of spinach
• 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• Black pepper to taste

In an 8×8 inch glass casserole dish, combine the bread, sausage, bell pepper, mushrooms, spinach, and cheese. In a bowl, whisk together the milk and eggs. Pour over bread mixture. Refrigerate over night. Bake at 350 degrees uncovered for about 40 to 45 minutes.

Cheesy Onion Casserole

Tags

casserole, cheese, food, onion, Southern, Swiss

This casserole is so addicting. The recipe could serve 4 but my brother and I demolished the whole thing. I imagine the leftovers would be good but there weren’t any to test. This will be a new favorite dish for sure!

Cheesy Onion Casserole

• 3 tbsp butter
• 3 large sweet onions, sliced
• 8 oz shredded Swiss cheese
• 1/2 can cream of chicken soup, undiluted
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 8 slices of French bread, toasted

In a Dutch ove, saute onions in butter. In a saucepan, combine soup, milk, and soy sauce on medium heat until all ingredients are combined well. When the onions are clear or slightly browned, sprinkle 1/2 of cheese over onions. Top with soup mixture. Lay out bread slices evenly. Top with remaining cheese. Bake on 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

Cheesy Garlic Baked Grits

Tags

casserole, cheese, Dinner, garlic, grits, Southern, Supper

Grits are the quintessential Southern food. Made of coarsely ground corn, grits can eaten for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. With butter, cheese, jalapenos, garlic, red-eye gravy, shrimp, and greens. They are cheap, easy to prepare, and taste amazing. No self respecting Southerner would fix instant grits (unless the other options are oatmeal or starvation).

Paula Deen, the best known cook in the South, is the author of this recipe. I have to say I have made some minor adjustments. I love you, Paula, but a whole stick of butter is way too much for me. I really like this recipe and plan on making it again, with jalapenos the next time.

Cheesy Garlic Baked Grits

• 4 cups water
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup uncooked grits (not instant)
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 stick of butter
• 1 1/2 cups grated Monterey Jack and sharp Cheddar cheese
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• Dash of cayenne pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bring water and salt to a boil. Add grits to the water. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking and clumping. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until they are thick and creamy. Place a small amount of hot grits into the beaten eggs and mix well. (The idea is that the eggs will be warmed and tempered so that when you add them to the grits, they wont become bits of scrambled eggs.) Add the egg mixture back to the grits, stirring well. Combine the butter, cheese, garlic and cayenne pepper. Pour into a greased 2 quart casserole dish and bake for 45 minutes. Top with additional cheese if desired. I did desire 🙂

Comforting Chicken Casserole

Tags

casserole, cheesy, chicken, comfort, creamy, crunchy, Dinner, fall, Supper

It is cool outside today. All I want to do is snuggle up with a good book and smell the scents of some comfort food baking in the oven. This chicken casserole is just the recipe for such a day. Originally from my Aunt Gloria, this recipe is special because of its cheesy, crunchy, creamy aspects.

Cheesy from the cup of cheddar cheese.

Crunchy from the celery, water chestnuts, and almonds.

Creamy from the mayo, sour cream, and cream of mushroom soup.

Crunchy ingredients below…

Who can resist these traits? Not me! This is my go to recipe when I have no idea what to fix. I always have these ingredients because they are staples in many recipes. If you dont have the time to cook chicken, just pick up a rotisserie chicken from the grocery.

Comforting Chicken Casserole

• 3 cups cooked chicken, shredded
• 2 cups celery, chopped
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup mayo
• 1 cup extra sharp cheddar cheese (sometimes I like to use more)
• 1 can water chestnuts, chopped
• 1/4 cup almonds, sliced or chopped
• Ritz crackers for topping, crushed

Mix together everything but the crackers.

Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until bubbly. Top with cracker crumbs and bake until the crumbs are browned.

Finished product…

On my plate….

Hash-brown Casserole

Tags

casserole, Dinner, potatoes, Southern, Supper

This recipe is courtesy of my mother-in-law. I made a few adjustments from the original recipe but it still tastes wonderful! The best thing about this recipe is that it makes so much and is wonderful left over. I can eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner. A classic Southern dish!

• 32 ounces frozen hashbrowns, thawed
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1 tsp salt (can be omitted for lower sodium diets)
• 1/2 cup onion, chopped
• 2 cups sour cream
• 4 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded (I prefer to add about 6 to 8 ounces)
• 1 can cream of chicken soup (can substitute cream of mushroom or some similar such soup)
• 1 sleeve Ritz crackers, crushed

Mix together all the above ingredients. Pour into greased 9×13 pan. Top with crackers (the original recipe called for another 1/4 cup butter poured on top of the crackers). Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 60 minutes or until bubbly and heated through.