Cheesy Cornbread Casserole

This casserole reminded me of the cowboy casserole that I recently made. Mr. liked that one so much, I decided to give this one a try too. It's the same kind of meal, meat at the bottom with a bread topping. This recipe used cornbread from the box, which I'm not a huge fan of.  So, I wasn't in love with this meal.  But, Mr. enjoyed it, and that is all that matters.  Click on the recipe below to go to the original Kraft recipe.  

  Cheesy Cornbread Casserole

what you need

1 lb. lean ground beef

1   onion, chopped

1 jalapeño pepper, seeded, finely chopped

1 can  (15 oz.) enchilada sauce

1 can (15 oz.) black beans, drained

1 tsp.  garlic powder

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 pkg.  (8.5 oz.) corn muffin mix

1 pkg. KRAFT Mexican Style Shredded Four Cheese with a TOUCH OF PHILADELPHIA, divided

make it

HEAT oven to 350ºF.

BROWN meat with onions and peppers in large skillet. Stir in next 4 ingredients; cook and stir 3 min. or until heated through. Spoon into 13x9-inch baking dish.

PREPARE muffin batter as directed on package; stir in cheese. Spread over meat mixture.

BAKE 20 min. or until toothpick inserted in center of cornbread topping comes out clean. Cool slightly.

Cowboy Casserole

I love making casseroles.  Anything that takes a few minutes to prepare then goes directly into the oven gets an A in my book.  I came across this Betty Crocker recipe a month or so back while searching for casserole dishes.  I thought that hubs would love it, so I printed and saved it.  I needed a ground meat meal to complete my menu last week and added this one.  I liked this meal and even went back for seconds.  My favorite part was the meat and bean mixture.  Hubs LOVED this meal and went back for a large serving of seconds.  His favorite part was the biscuit mixture on top.  Enjoy! 

1

lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef

1

can (16 oz) baked beans

1/2

cup barbecue sauce

2

cups Original Bisquick® mix

2/3

cup milk

1

tablespoon butter or margarine, softened

1/2

cup shredded Cheddar cheese (2 oz)

1. Heat oven to 425°F. In 10-inch skillet, cook beef over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thoroughly cooked; drain.
2. Stir baked beans and barbecue sauce into beef. Heat to boiling, stirring occasionally. Pour into ungreased 2-quart casserole.
3. Meanwhile, in medium bowl, stir Bisquick mix, milk and butter until soft dough forms.
4. Drop dough by 12 spoonfuls onto beef mixture.
5. Bake uncovered 18 to 22 minutes or until topping is golden brown. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake about 3 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

Makes 6 servings (1 1/4 cups each)

Jalapeño Macaroni & Ham Bake

 If I could rename this recipe, I'd call it Grown Up Mac & Cheese.  A few weeks back I bought mac & cheese because it was BOGO at Publix.  I remembered coming across some Betty Crocker recipes using the deluxe box that looked pretty darn good.  After I got home from the store, I went back to my inbox to find the recipes.  I chose this one because hubs loves hot & spicy food.  I was trying to be a thoughtful wife =-).  I was also already using canadian bacon for another recipe, so this also allowed me to use food I already had at home (and saved me some $).  I LOVED this dinner.  Using the pepper jack cheese is a must.  It gave it the perfect kick.  Mixed with cheesy pasta and crunchy crackers, I couldn't get enough.  I didn't add the garlic or onions because I didn't think it needed it.  You'll definitely love this recipe! 

What You Need
2 pkg. (7-1/4 oz. each) KRAFT Macaroni & Cheese Dinner
1 Tbsp.  oil
15 slices OSCAR MAYER Deli Fresh Honey Ham, chopped (I used Canadian Bacon)
1 small  red onion, finely chopped (Omitted)
2 jalapeño peppers, seeded, chopped
2 clove  garlic, minced (Omitted)
4 eggs, beaten
4   KRAFT Big Slice Pepper Jack Cheese Slice, coarsely chopped
18 RITZ Crackers, crushed (about 3/4 cup)
1/2 cup  fresh parsley, chopped


Make It

HEAT oven to 350ºF.

PREPARE Dinners in large saucepan as directed on package. Meanwhile, heat oil in medium skillet on medium heat. Add ham, onions, peppers and garlic; cook 5 min., stirring frequently.

ADD ham mixture to Dinners with eggs and chopped cheese; mix lightly. Mix cracker crumbs and parsley; stir half into Dinner mixture. Spoon into 2-qt. casserole sprayed with cooking spray; top with remaining crumb mixture.

BAKE 35 min. or until center is set and casserole is heated through.

Chicken Broccoli Bake

I had a great coupon for Philadelphia Cooking Creme recently and picked up one of each flavor.  I love how they post recipes on the containers.  That is exactly where this recipe came from.  To find it online, go here.  This is not your typical broccoli bake, the garlic creme adds a kick.  I loved it.  I served it with white rice.  Enjoy!

1-1/2 lb.

boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces

1 pkg.

(14 oz.)frozen broccoli florets, thawed, drained

1-1/2 cups

KRAFT 2% Milk Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese

1 tub

(10 oz.)PHILADELPHIA Savory Garlic Cooking Creme

1/2 cup

milk

24

RITZ Crackers, crushed (about 1 cup)

1 Tbsp.

butter, melted

Directions

1. Heat oven to 400ºF.
2. Combine first 5 ingredients in 13x9-inch baking dish; cover.
3. Bake 25 min. Meanwhile, mix cracker crumbs and butter.
4. Stir chicken mixture; top with crumbs. Bake, uncovered, 10 min. or until topping is golden brown.

Southwest Chicken Bake

I made this recipe about a month ago.  It was one of the dinners that we brought to our friends house for our weekly dinners.  Candace asked about the recipe, which reminded me to post it.  But, I could not for the life of me remember where it came from.  So after some searching, I found it in my email from Kraft Recipes. Of course, I should have figured it was Kraft.  Any how, it's easy, delicious and will leave you with a good amount of leftovers.  Enjoy! 

I ALWAYS forget to take pictures before we go to their house.  Then I grab a crappy phone pic.  This honestly doesn't do the meal any justice! 

What You Need


2-1/2 Tbsp. (1/2 of 1-1/4-oz. pkg.) TACO BELL® HOME ORIGINALS® Taco Seasoning Mix
1 lb.  boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
2 Tbsp. KRAFT Light Zesty Italian Dressing
1 cup  canned no-salt-added black beans, rinsed
1/2 cup frozen corn
2   green onions, chopped
1 cup TACO BELL® HOME ORIGINALS® Thick 'N Chunky Salsa
1/2 cup  KRAFT Mexican Style 2% Milk Finely Shredded Four Cheese
2-2/3 cups hot cooked long-grain brown rice


Make It


HEAT oven to 375ºF.


ADD seasoning mix to chicken in medium bowl; toss to evenly coat.


HEAT dressing in large skillet on medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook and stir 5 min. or until evenly browned. Spoon into 1-1/2-qt. casserole; cover with layers of beans, corn, onions and salsa.


BAKE 20 min. Top with cheese; bake 5 min. or until melted. Serve over rice.
TACO BELL® and HOME ORIGINALS® are trademarks owned and licensed by Taco Bell Corp. 

King Ranch Casserole

Loved this dinner.  It's a spin on chicken enchiladas with a ranch twist.  This recipe came from Daisy Brand. D and I had it for dinner last Wednesday and ate it for lunch on Thursday and Friday.  I didn't add the additional green chilies to the top of the casserole and thought it had enough kick the way it is.   

Ingredients

• 1 packet Lay’s® Dip Creations™ Country Ranch Dry Dip Mix
• 1/2 cup Daisy Brand Sour Cream
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 12 yellow corn tortillas
• 2 cups cooked chicken, chopped
• 10 ounce can diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
• 10 ounce can green chilies, undrained
• 3 cups Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

Directions

Heat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9-inch square baking dish with cooking spray. Mix the dip mix and sour cream in medium bowl. Whisk in the chicken stock. Pour 1/2 cup of the sour cream mixture in the bottom of the baking dish. Layer 4 tortillas over the sauce in the dish, overlapping. Top the tortillas with 1/2 of the chicken. Spoon 1/3 of the tomatoes with the green chilies over the chicken. Sprinkle the tomatoes with 1/3 of the cheese. Repeat the layers and top with the remaining tortillas, tomatoes and green chilies. Pour the remaining sour cream mixture over the top of the casserole. Let the casserole stand for 5 minutes. Sprinkle the casserole with the remaining cheese. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until bubbly and cheese is melted and browned. Let the casserole stand for 5 minutes before serving to make slicing easier.

Chicken Tamale Casserole

This recipe comes to you from Cooking Light.  I had most ingredients at home and didn't want to spend lots of time on dinner tonight.  This recipe was ah-mazing.  I was really nervous that we'd end up having to get take out about half way through.  But, it turned out great.  Hubs event went back for thirds! And...there's enough left over for at least 4 more meals! 

Ingredients

    * 1  cup  (4 ounces) preshredded 4-cheese Mexican blend cheese, divided
    * 1/3  cup  fat-free milk
    * 1/4  cup  egg substitute
    * 1  teaspoon  ground cumin
    * 1/8  teaspoon  ground red pepper
    * 1  (14 3/4-ounce) can cream-style corn
    * 1  (8.5-ounce) box corn muffin mix (such as Martha White)
    * 1  (4-ounce) can chopped green chiles, drained
    * Cooking spray
    * 1  (10-ounce) can red enchilada sauce (such as Old El Paso)
    * 2  cups  shredded cooked chicken breast
    * 1/2  cup  fat-free sour cream

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400°.

2. Combine 1/4 cup cheese and next 7 ingredients (through chiles) in a large bowl, stirring just until moist. Pour mixture into a 13 x 9–inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.

3. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until set. Pierce entire surface liberally with a fork; pour enchilada sauce over top. Top with chicken; sprinkle with remaining 3/4 cup cheese. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until cheese melts. Remove from oven; let stand 5 minutes. Cut into 8 pieces; top each serving with 1 tablespoon sour cream.

Broccoli Cheese Casserole

Whenever I want an easy dinner, I go straight to my casserole recipes.  I found this one in a Taste of Home magazine I had from last year.  It was simple and very tasty.  I even went back for seconds.  Enjoy!

 Taste of Home recipe.  

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 cups water
• 1 package (6 ounces) chicken stuffing mix
• 2 cups cubed cooked chicken
• 1 cup frozen broccoli florets, thawed
• 1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed broccoli cheese soup, undiluted
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese

Directions

• In a small saucepan, bring water to a boil. Stir in stuffing mix. Remove from the heat; cover and let stand for 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, layer chicken and broccoli in a greased 11-in. x 7-in. baking dish. Top with soup. Fluff stuffing with a fork; spoon over soup. Sprinkle with cheese.
• Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until heated through. 
• Yield: 6 servings.

Chicken Veggie Casserole

This recipe was inspired by a recipe from Taste of Home magazine. Unfortunately, I can't remember which recipe to find the link. The original recipe had too many steps, so I was determined to find a way to make it easier. I think I was able to accomplish that goal, and it tasted delish. I can see this becoming a part of the weekly rotation.

Ingredients:
1 whole rotisserie chicken
1 1/2 cups of sliced zucchini
1 1/2 cups of sliced squash
1 cup of mushrooms
2/3 cup of chicken broth
2 1/2 cups of cooked brown rice
1/2 cup of parmesan cheese

Directions:
1. Cook rice as directed on bag/box.
2. Pull apart chicken. Set aside in a bowl.
3. Saute mushrooms, zucchini, and squash until browned. Mix chicken and vegetables together in bowl.
4. Heat chicken broth on stove until warm.
5. In a 9x13 casserole dish, place rice in a layer on the bottom.
6. Top with chicken/vegetable mixture.
7. Pour broth over chicken, veggies, and rice.
8. Sprinkle cheese mixture on top.
9. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

Summer Squash Casserole

This fabulous recipe came from Southern Living magazine. This summer I've been on a squash and zucchini kick (it's always on sale at Publix). I couldn't wait to try this after I found it and it was just as good as I imagined. I cut the recipe in half, since it was just the two of us. There isn't anything I changed in the recipe, but I used egg beaters, margarine, reduced fat cheese, light mayo and Panko crumbs to make it a bit healthier. I'm eating the leftovers as I type, it was that good!

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Other: 30 minutes
Yield: Makes 6 to 8 servings
Ingredients
2 1/2 pounds yellow squash, sliced
3/4 cup chopped green onions
1 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (10-oz.) block sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup soft, fresh breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons butter, melted
Preparation
1. Combine squash and green onions in a large microwave-safe bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap, folding back a small edge to allow steam to escape. Microwave at HIGH 8 minutes or until squash is tender. (Do not drain.)

2. Whisk together mayonnaise and next 3 ingredients in a large bowl; stir in squash mixture and cheese. Spoon mixture into a lightly greased 11- x 7-inch baking dish; cover tightly with plastic wrap, folding back a small edge to allow steam to escape. Microwave at HIGH 10 minutes or until casserole is set; remove from microwave, and let stand 10 minutes.

3. Stir together breadcrumbs and melted butter; microwave 2 minutes. Sprinkle over casserole.