I am horrible at making Lasagna and I found this in one of my Rachael Ray Magazines and it was delish :) Hope you guys enjoy :)
Here is the link.
From Ginger: Chicken Squares
This is so much fun! Here's my go-to recipe. Looks and seems fancy, but really not hard at all, and most of the ingredients are on hand. - this is from Brenda Abelein's cook book. The first few times I made this Eric asked incredulously, "YOU made this?" That says a lot, huh? ;)
Chicken Squares
Ingredients:
• 2 cups chicken, or turkey, or… cooked, and cut up
• 6 ounces low fat cream cheese, softened
• 2 Tbs. milk
• 1 Tbs. parsley
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 2 Tbs. butter, melted
• ¼ cup bread crumbs
• 2 pkgs. Pillsbury crescent rolls
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°
2. Mix first 5 ingredients in mixing bowl.
3. Grease baking sheet
4. Melt Butter in small dish
5. Put bread crumbs in small dish next to melted butter
6. Open crescent rolls and separate each can into 4 rectangles by pressing together triangles at the seams. Each rectangle is mad from 2 triangles. Press seams together well so that the filling will not leak out during cooking.
7. Divide filling onto all 8 rectangles.
8. Pull up corners and pinch side seams together, sealing well.
9. Dip the top of each square first into melted butter, then bread crumbs.
10. Place square onto baking sheet ‘dipped’ side up.
11. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown.
*This recipe is an excellent way to use holiday leftovers. Serve with a salad.
From Lynsey: Taco Bake
This is one of my favorite meals. Usually all I need to buy for it is the crescent roll dough. It's yummy and pretty quick to make!!
Taco Bake
1 lb. Hamburger
8 oz. Tomato Sauce
1/2 package Taco Seasoning
1 tube Crescent Roll Dough
8 oz. Sour Cream
1-2 cups Shredded Cheese ( a mixture of mozzarella and cheddar usually works well, although just cheddar works too)
Brown and drain the hamburger. Add the tomato sauce and taco seasoning.
Press 4 crescent roll triangles (half of the tube) into the bottom of a 9x9 baking dish. Spread the hamburger mixture on top. Cover with sour cream and shredded cheese. Top with remaining crescent rolls.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until top is golden brown. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
*If you're feeling adventurous, you can trade out the tomato sauce and taco seasoning for some nice, chunky salsa!*
From Emily P: Italian Bean Soup
I just discovered this bean soup on Every Day Italian...but I can't leave a recipe alone, so I added my own "twists". I think I made it heartier and pry a little healthier too. :) Perfect for these cold nights we've been having. Enjoy!
Italian Bean Soup
1/3 lb panchetta, cubed
1 large onion, chopped
2 medium carrots, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 cans canallini beans (I use low sodium)
6 cups chicken stock (I use about 4 cans, which is more like 7 cups, but makes a nice big pot of soup)
4 cloves garlic, halved
sprig or two of rosemary (leave whole)
S/P to taste
2 cans Canalini Beans
1 can pinto beans
2 medium carrots, chopped fine
1/2 cup milk
In a large soup pot put drizzle a splash of olive oil. Brown panchetta until golden brown, remove from pan and put on paper towels to drain. Add onions, carrots and celery and season with salt and pepper. Brown veggies until onion is slightly translucent. If bottom of pan begins to darken, deglaze with about 1/4 cup chicken stock. Add beans, chicken stock, garlic and rosemary. Bring to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes. If you have an imersion (or stick) blender, use to puree the soup right in the pot. If you don't, then spoon soup into a blender (only fill up half way, it's hot!) and blend soup. Return to pot. Add remaining cans of beans, carrots and cooked panchetta. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes, or until carrots are tender. Just be fore serving, stir in milk. Serve it up with some hot crusty bread for dipping!
It's SO delicious. I've done it without the milk and it is just as delicious. (the original calls for cream.)
Have fun!
From Jessica: Parmesan Crusted Chicken
I usually make some buttered noodles and a veggie with this. It is simple and fast.
Parmesan Crusted Chicken
Ingredients:
½ cup Real Mayo
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
4 boneless chicken breast
4 tsp. Italian seasoned dry breadcrumbs
Combine mayo and cheese. Spread on chicken, then sprinkle with breadcrumbs. Bake at 425; 20 mins or until thoroughly cooked through.
From Kimberly: Turkey Pasta Bake
We cook using a diabetic diet in my home, so here is one of our favorite post thanksgiving ones!
Here is the link.
From Judie: Crunchy cheesy Casserole
This is The Busch family's favorite leftover turkey casserole, (chicken can also be used) so with Thanksgiving and Christmas nearing you might give it a try. It is quick and easy.
A friend of ours would call it "kid bait". These are all approximate measurements.
Crunchy Cheesy Casserole
Cube 2 C. leftover turkey or chicken
Add 1 C. chopped celery (finely chopped and the kiddies won't know it's in there)
Stir in 1/4 C. mayo and 1 T lemon juice
Place in a baking dish.
Grate 1 1/2 C. cheddar cheese over the top
Place enough crushed potato chips on top to cover the cheese. We like Kettle Brand Fresh Ground Salt and Pepper Chips. Kids tend to love cheese or sour cream and onion chips. All are good and make it interestingly different.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 15-20 minutes.
From Ang: Mexican Chicken Lasagna
I found it in one of those little recipe books you find at the checkstand at the grocery store. I wish I had a scanner to show you how marvelous this looks.
Mexican Chicken Lasagna
12 lasagna noodles
2 cans (10 3/4 oz each) cream of chicken soup
8 oz sour cream
1/4 cup milk
3 cups cooked cubed chicken
1 can (4 oz) green chilies
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 can (2 1/4 oz) sliced black olives
1 cup (8-10) green onions, chopped
3 cups Mexican cheese blend (cheddar and jack)
1 cup crushed nacho cheese tortilla chips
Heat oven to 350. Cook lasagna noodles and drain. While noodles are cooking, mix next 7 ingredients (soup to garlic powder) in large bowl. In a greased 9x13 pan, layer chicken mixture, olives, green onions and cheese like you would a lasagna, starting with a small amount of the chicken mixture at the bottom before adding noodles. Save largest layer of cheese for the top. Bake uncovered for 35-45 minutes or until bubbly and hot in center. Add crushed chips and cook another 5 minutes until chips get slightly brown. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting.
Also from Ang: Nacho Pie
From Mandy: Turkey dinner!
For the past couple of years my in-laws have come up to Oregon from Salinas for Thanksgiving. Meaning I was the one cooking dinner for everyone, which was not too bad since it is only a total of 5 people. The first year I did the whole big Turkey and Ham and all the fixings for a big Thanksgiving dinner only to have no one really eat and a ton of left over. The next year (and every year since) I have done a modified version of Rachael Rays Thanksgiving in 60 minutes and it has worked great. Less prep work, less cook time, and less leftover's to deal with but not less taste. You even still have pan drippings in you want to make gravy. While this might not work for those who have really big gatherings for Thanksgiving since it says it serves 8, you could add more turkey breast. Also this is even good for those who like the taste of thanksgiving through out the year without as much work. She has done a couple of version of this but I modified it to include what I like so feel free to add in any of your family favs!
Cheater Stuffin’ Muffins
So I make this quicker and easier cheater stuffing using Stove top and this chopped celery and onion with herb mix that they usually sell at Safeway before Thanksgiving. It already has the veggies chopping and mixed with the herbs that would go into stuffing.
• Stove top Stuffing and Ingredients to make
• Stuffing veggie mix with herbs
I sauté the Stuffing veggie mix with the butter that goes with the stuffing (sometimes I add a little more depending on if it looks like enough) Cook 5-6 minutes to begin to soften the vegetables. Then add in the rest of the stuffing ingredients until well mixed and moistened. You may need to moisten the stuffing with chicken broth until all of the bread is soft but not wet. Butter 12 muffin cups (two muffin tins or mini muffin tins) liberally with butter or spray. Use an ice cream scoop to fill and mound up the stuffing in muffin tins. Bake until set and crisp on top, about 10-15 minutes. Remove Stuffin' Muffins to a platter and serve hot or at room temperature.
From Krista: Cheesy Sausage Penne
This casserole is so easy, and is liked by everyone. It freezes great, so I'll often make 2, 1 for now and 1 for later, or to pull out if I need to bring a meal to someone.
Cheesy sausage Penne
1 lb. bulk italian sausage
1 minced garlic clove
1 jar spaghetti sauce
1 lb. package penne pasta
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 cup sour cream
4 green onions, sliced
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
In a large skillet, cook the sausage and garlic over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in spaghetti sauce; bring to boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20 min. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions; drain and add to sauce mixture. In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese, sour cream and onions.
In a greased 3-qt. baking dish, layer half of the pasta and sausage mixture. Dollop with half of the cream cheese mixture; sprinkle with half of the cheddar cheese. Repeat layers. Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 30-35 minutes.
From Tiff: Taco Pasta Shells
ok of course I am so simple and not by any means a "cook" so
here is our fave recipe right now.
a couple things i do differently are i make the meat actual taco meat with the seasoning then add the cream cheese and of course I use fat free or reduced fat whenever possible! Pofta Buna!
From Leah: Caramelized Onion Chicken Recipe
Here is a really YUMMY recipe that our family is now totally in love with. We've made it 4 times now- and feel it's a keeper. I use boneless skinless chicken thighs and a whole onion instead, then let the onions caramelize up a bit longer than they say. It looks like a lame recipe, but in the end it's easy, dirties only one pan, uses things I almost always have on hand (because of this recipe our raspberry jam no longer gets used for PB &J!) and you get really sweet onions to plop on top of your chix!
Here is the link.
From Holly: BBQ Chicken Chopped Salad
This dinner salad is so easy, delicious and is great if you have leftover chicken to use!
4 Boneless/Skinless Chicken Breasts
1 Head of Iceberg Lettuce
1 can of corn
1 can of black beans
1 c. diced tomatoes
1/2 c. diced red onion
1/2 c. shredded cheese (I usually use cheddar or monterey jack)
1 c. diced jicama (optional) I don't usually have this on hand :)
1/2c. diced peppers, whatever color you have on hand (optional)
Dressing: Equal Parts of Ranch and BBQ Sauce
Cook and slice chicken. Top lettuce with chicken and all other ingredients. Serve and Enjoy!
From Noel: Chili Pie
This one is super easy and I keep the ingredients on hand so I can make it last minute if I need to. And it's even better the next day!
Chili Pie
1lb ground beef
1 onion chopped
1/2 c. salsa
2 - 15 oz. can kidney beans, undrained
1 Tbl chili powder
1 - 8.5 oz box corn bread mix (including the milk and egg) I use the Jiffy box
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Cook meat and onion over medium heat in an oven safe skillet. Drain the fat. Add the chili powder and cook stirring constantly for 1 minute. Add the beans and salsa. Heat to boiling and boil one minute. Prepare the corn bread according to package directions. Stir in cheddar cheese. Remove the chili from the heat and spoon the corn bread batter over top. Place in the oven and cook for 15 - 20 min. until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let stand for 10 minutes before serving. (If you don't have an oven safe skillet you can always cook it on the stove and transfer the chili to a 9x13 pan, and then spoon the cornbread over top to bake it.)
