Mama F's Squash Casserole

This is for Kork & anyone else with a surplus of squash. Mama F is mother to Did (my best friend from high school). Her house is where I learned to not only eat, but love vegetables. I was a seriously picky eater. I emailed her today & she graciously shared this with me....so I pass it on to you with love.

SQUASH CASSEROLE

8 medium squash* 1 cup grated cheese

1 medium onion* 2 TBSP. Mayonnaise

1 tsp. Salt 2 or 3 TBSP cream
[I use Coffeemate]

1 TBSP sugar ½ cup bread crumbs

¼ stick butter

Combine cooked drained squash and onion with all ingredients except ¼ cup of crumbs. Mix well. Sprinkle crumbs on top, dot with butter. Bake 350 degrees 30 to 40 minutes.
*Cover with water and cook till tender

She also added this, "When my squash plants used to survive, I'd slice and barely steam the surplus, drain, cool, then freeze it in really full quart bags, and have the casserole in wintertime if I remembered to think ahead for thawing." She has groundhogs......

Potato Pizza

5 C. peeled & thinly sliced potatoes (I used my slicing blade on my food processor for this)
Pepper
1 1/2 lbs. hamburger
1/2 small onion chopped
1 can (10 3/4 oz) Cheddar Cheese Soup
1 C. milk
4 oz melted cheddar cheese (OK, so in reality I use 2 full cups....there is no such thing as too much cheese)
1 can (10 3/4 oz) tomato soup
1 C. shredded mozzarella cheese.

Grease 9x13 glass Pyrex dish. Lay potatoes out flat in pan in layers. Sprinkle generously with pepper. Brown ground beef and onion. Drain. Stir cheese soup, milk, and melted cheddar cheese together until smooth (works best if cheese and soup are warm.  In fact, I do this in a sauce pan over heat as I melt the cheddar cheese). Mix ground beef and cheese mix, spread over potatoes. Bake @ 350 for 1 hour or until potatoes are done.

Top with tomato soup and mozzarella cheese. Bake 5 more minutes or until cheese is melted.

Mmmmm-Possible Chicken Pot Pie

This is one of those recipes my mom used to make when she was working full-time that tasted as though it was made and slaved over for hours...

Ingredients:
1 2/3 C frozen mixed veggies - thawed and drained (frozen don't get quite as mushy when the pie is done)
1 C cooked chicken, cut or shredded
1 can Cream of Chicken Soup
1 C Bisquick (or other baking mix - I make my own)
1/2 C milk
1 Egg

Directions:

Heat oven to 400 (425 for high altitude). Mix veggies, chicken & soup in 9" pie plate. Stir baking mix, egg and milk together and pour over chicken mixture. Bake for 30 minutes.

Once this is made, it can be frozen, and then just defrosted and re-heated in the oven.

Mexican Chicken Bake

This is a yummy casserole that is easy, and uses stuff I mostly keep on hand. It can be spiced up or down depending on your tastes.

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:
1/4 C butter
1 onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 can Cream of Mushroom soup
1 can diced tomatoes with green chiles (this is where you get your spice)
2 C Cooked chicken shredded or chopped
10 6-in corn torillas (soft, and you can use flour, but the corn gives it a more robust flavor)
2 C Shredded Monterey Jack Cheese (you can use cheddar, a blend, whatever is your favorite)
1 C sour cream (I substitute plain fat-free yogurt for a healthier option)
1 Tbsp milk
1 small jalpeno, chopped (I use a 4 ounce can of diced chile, or just leave it off)
1/4 C fresh parsley, chopped (I don't use this at all)

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 325 F.
Melt butter in a large skillet, add pepper and onion. Cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the soup, undrained tomatoes, and chicken. Stir well, and let simmer to blend flavors while you tear the tortillas into bite-sized pieces.

Spray a large casserole with cooking spray. Layer tortillas, chicken mixture, and cheese (Depending on the size of your dish, you may have up to 3 layers).

Mix sour cream, milk and jalapeno, and spread over top of casserole.

Bake until bubbly, around 40 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately.

This dish is yummy, and tastes really good topped with some shredded lettuce, tomatoes, olives, a little more cheese, OR just as it is. I usually serve salad with this but its filling in its own right.

Campbell's Cheesy Chicken & Rice Remix

FarmBoy won't touch rice as a side dish with a ten foot pole. So when QM made this for us while I was recuperating after Bitsy's birth I was skeptical. Turned out she changed up one thing & it made all the difference.

You can find the original recipe here. QM used Zatarain's Dirty Rice Mix in place of the long grain white rice & enough brown rice to make it equal 2 cups of rice. We also make it in larger quantities, so you need 2 cups of water and the Family size can of Cream of Chicken soup.

If you use the Dirty rice mix you can leave out the onion powder & pepper.

Freddie Kruger Casserole Remix (and a bonus FarmFamily Chicken Quesadillas)

It's time for the first wha'cha got cookin' Recipe Remix. I've asked all our cooks to post the recipes they've redone to suit their families tastes. We'll start off with the original recipe & follow up with our new & improved version.

A few years back QM brought me this recipe. To save space, I'll just leave the link & you can check it out there. It sounded great, but I have a major aversion to beans, so I needed to change a few things.

It all started with our version of Chicken Quesadillas. I cook a chicken overnight in the croc-pot, then strip it off the bones, shred the meat, put it back in the croc-pot, add a jar of my favorite salsa & a packet of Taco seasoning, and cook it on low for 2 hours. Come lunch time I spread a large spoon full of the chicken & a small amount of shredded cheese on a flour tortilla, fold it in half, & grill it on our George Foreman grill for 3 minutes. Cut into wedges & serve with sour cream.

Without fail, I have chicken left over, so I modified the Freddie Kruger Casserole to use my leftovers (you can also freeze any leftover chicken).

Replace the hamburger meat with the chicken mix, the ranch style beans with Spanish rice cooked according to package directions, & the cream of mushroom soup with cream of chicken soup.

Everything else stays the same.

You can modify this further if you like using different "heats" of Rotel tomatoes & salsa (I use mild on both accounts), low fat cheese & low fat soup (in fact, I suggest using the low fat ingredients).

Tator Tot Casserole

This was a favorite when my kids were younger and it was cheap too. It freezes well and can be reheated in the oven or microwave.

1 lb of lean ground beef
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
1 can (fill soup can) of milk
1/2 bag of frozen tator tots
1/2 bag of frozen peas
3 oz of cheese (optional)

Brown ground beef and drain. Combine soup and milk, mix thoroughly. In a 13x9 pan mix ground beef, soup mixture, tator tots and frozen peas. Sprinkle cheese on top (Optional) Bake at 375 for 40-45 minutes. Remove from oven and let set for 5 minutes before serving.

Ground Beef Enchiladas

I made these last night... Totally sinful. And delicious!

Serves 4 -6 depending on the appetite

1 tablespoon shortening
1 pound ground beef
3 tablespoons flour
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
Water
2 tablespoon chili powder
Salt, to taste
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
12 corn tortillas
1 pound longhorn cheese, coarsely grated
1 large onion, finely chopped

Melt shortening in heavy skillet. Add the ground meat and brown. Sprinkle meat with flour; mix in skillet. Add tomato sauce and 1 cup water. Mix 1/2 cup water with the chili powder to form a smooth paste; add to the meat mixture. Add salt to taste and garlic powder. Cook over medium heat, uncovered, until it is of gravy consistency. Cover and simmer over very low heat. Add more water if the chili gravy becomes too thick.

Dip tortillas one at a time in the hot chili gravy with a wide metal spatula. The tortillas will become pliable almost immediately, which will make rolling the enchiladas easier. Soaking too long will cause the tortillas to fall apart.

Place a good sprinkling of grated cheese and minced onion and about a tablespoon of the meat mixture to one side of the center of the tortilla. Roll tortilla tightly around the filling and place loose side down in a glass casserole baking dish. For best results place the enchiladas in a row with sides touching.

When all enchiladas have been formed, pour the remaining hot chili gravy over all, and sprinkle generously with grated cheese, and top with chopped onion. Bake at 350 degrees F until the cheese is melted. Serve immediately.

"Legendary" Fruit Casserole

Thus named for the restaurant I worked in during my late teens/early 20's. We served this & it was a HUGE hit. Most people were offset by the idea of a warm fruit casserole, but if you think of it like a cobbler it's much easier to deal with! And this is not for the diabetic among you!

4 C. Crushed Pineapple (canned)
4 C. Diced Peaches (canned)
4 C. Brown Sugar
4 C. Crushed Club Crackers
1 Stick Melted Butter or Margarine

Drain fruit. Layer 2 C. of each fruit, followed by 2 C. brown sugar, then 2 C. cracker crumbs. Drizzle 1/2 the butter over top and repeat. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Serve warm or cold (I prefer warm).

This makes enough for a pot luck dinner or a large group. While we served it as a side dish, it's excellent served with vanilla ice cream as a dessert.

Indian Chicken

Prep Time: 10 - 15 minutes
Cook Time: 60 minutes
Serves: 8 adults

Ingredients:
8 - 10 skinless chicken thigh/leg combos
6 C canned chickpeas (garbanzo beans) mashed
2 C baby-cut carrots (I use the baby carrots from the store and run them on the chop setting of my food processor to save time)

For the sauce:
1 1/2 C Chopped Onion
3 garlic cloves, minced (buy a jar, and keep it in the fridge for time savings)
3/4 C low or nonfat sour cream*
3/4 C plain nonfat yogurt
5.5 oz tomato paste
1 C chicken broth*
1/2 C EVOO
2 Tbsp curry powder
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1 C frozen peas

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400. Lay chicken pieces flat in a 13X9 casserole. Evenly spread the chickpeas and carrots over and between the chicken.

In a large saucepan, saute onions and garlic in the EVOO until onions are translucent. Add remaining sauce ingredients and stir over low heat until mixture is well blended. Pour sauce over chicken, chickpeas and carrots.

Bake for 1 Hour.

* You can use whatever fat content, sodium content of yogurt, sour cream and broth you'd like. The original recipe was a "healthy" version using low-sodium organic broth, nonfat sour cream and yogurt that were also both organic.

Not sure how this would freeze because of the dairy products, or how it would be made-ahead and reheated...haven't tried it yet!

FarmWife's Chicken Pie

1 cooked chicken or 4 cooked boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 Family size can of Veg-All Original Mixed Vegtables, drained (or two small cans)
1 small can cream of chicken soup (I use 98% fat free)
1 small can cream of celery soup (again, 98% fat free)
1/2 C. milk
salt & pepper to taste
2 boxes Jiffy Cornbread Mix prepared according to directions

Shred chicken & combine with soups, milk, salt & pepper, and Veg-All in medium sized bowl. Spoon mix into 9x13 baking dish and top with cornbread mix. Bake at 425 for approx. 30 minutes or until cornbread is baked through and golden brown.

**Notes: I realize this is not a traditional pot pie (my kids shortened it to 'chicken pie'), but we love the cornbread topping. In the original recipe it says to ONLY use Jiffy or Martha White cornbread mix. I've never tried it with anything else.

**When ever a recipe calls for cooked chicken, I put a whole chicken in the crock-pot with enough water to cover the night before and cook it on low all night. The next day I pull the meat off the bone and use it in place of chicken breast. I think it gives a slightly richer flavor, and is much cheaper.

In fact, I'm getting ready to put this in my oven now.

Casserole Freezing Tips

I was thinking about our various situations, and the things we all may be doing, and thought this might help some of you, if you're not already doing it!

Again, from the mouth of my mother!

We would always take out all of our 13x9 pans, line them plastic cling wrap, and then with enough foil to be able to fold over and seal(or just with foil, your call), then make a multiple batch (depending on how many pans you have - we had 4), and split the ingredients equally among the pans. Once they were full, we'd fold over the foil and seal, then write on it what it was, and the cooking instructions, and put all the extras into the freezer. After they were frozen ( 8 - 12 hours ), we'd simply turn over the pan, and have a 13x9 casserole all wrapped up, ready to be cooked at a later date! This would then free up the pan for use another time, or to do another batch of a different casserole!

You can now get the 2 gallon and bigger zip top plastic bags, which provide an even better and longer lasting protection. You can simply slip your frozen, foil covered casserole into the bag, write on the bag, and stand or stack them up.

When you're ready to use, simply take the frozen casserole out, pop it into the pan still in the foil, and bake according to your directions! The greatest part in my mind??? The easy clean up after dinner that night! The foil means the pan may just need to be rinsed out, not scrubbed!

Chicken Noodle Casserole

This is a recipe my mom stumbled over in a magazine ages ago, that we've morphed according to our own family's appetites and time commitments. It doesn't need much in the way of side dishes, unless you want a salad, or some applesauce. It can be frozen before baking, and makes great leftovers for lunch or dinner, as long as you can reheat it!


Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 60 minutes
Serves: 4 or more

Ingredients:

8 oz egg noodles
2 C cooked, shredded chicken*
1 medium onion, diced
1 16 oz bag frozen mixed veggies (peas, carrots, green beans is a good mix)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of celery soup
1 C shredded cheese
1 C bread crumbs
butter

Pre-Heat oven to 350. In a large pot, cook noodles, drain. While the water is coming to a boil for the noodles, and they're cooking, in a large bowl, mix together ingredients 2 - 6 and set aside. After the noodles are drained, mix those into the bowl. Gracefully dump the contents of your bowl into a 13 x 9 casserole, cover with foil, and pop into the oven for 45 minutes. After 40 minutes or so, melt a couple TBSP of butter, and mix into the bread crumbs. (They should be somewhat moist, so they will sort of clump together.) Remove the foil from the casserole, sprinkle the bread crumbs over top, and put back into the oven UNCOVERED for 15 minutes, or until the bread crumbs are golden.

* the chicken can be replaced with the canned corned beef, or drained tuna. I've never used ground beef or stew meat, but would probably change the celery soup for mushroom if I were to use beef.

Enchilada Casserole

Prep Time : approx 30 minutes
Cook Time : 30 minutes

Serves : 4 and up depending on your family's appetite

Ingredients

1 package of your favorite flour tortillas
1 pound of Colby, Cheddar, or a Cheddar/Jack blend, shredded
1 can Old El Paso Enchilada sauce (your heat choice)
1 can Cream of Chicken Soup
1 can Cream of Mushroom or Celery Soup
1 C milk
salt
pepper
onion (fresh, powder, or minced all work the same)
1 pound ground beef*

Directions:

In a skillet, brown ground beef, adding salt, pepper and onion to your taste. Drain and set aside.

In a large bowl, mix together the soups, milk, and enchilada sauce.

In a 13 x 9 baking pan, spread a small amount of the sauce mixture. Add one layer of tortillas, to cover the bottom of the pan ( I use 1 whole, and 2 halves to cover more of the pan, with the broken edges at the 9 inch edge, with the whole one in the middle). Spread half of the ground beef on the tortillas, cover with 1/3 to 1/2 of the cheese, saving about 1/2 cup or so for the very top. Spread with sauce mixture, covering the entire layer well. Repeat with another layer. For the third layer, simply spread with sauce mixture, and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until bubbly and golden. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

I serve with shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, sliced olives, sour cream, salsa.

I've never tried freezing this because of the milk and the cream soups, but it does store in the fridge and tastes better as leftovers... :)

* you can substitute cooked, shredded chicken