Mexi-Lasagna

This meal is a Vossen original; meaning I had ingredients for tacos but didn't feel like making tacos, so made up this casserole/hotdish/mexi-lasagna creation instead. Considering that I was talking on the phone while throwing these ingredients together, I think it turned out pretty good. I love the cream cheese added to the taco meat. We served this with chips, sour cream and guacamole and we ended up dipping our chips in the hotdish too. It was super easy to make and I made it early in the day and put it in the fridge so all I had to do at dinner time was pull it out and bake. I found these frozen herb cubes at Costco the other day - they are awesome! I bought a pack of basil, cilantro, garlic and parsley cubes and I think they will be handy to have in my freezer for times that I don't have fresh herbs on hand. See my picture below of my new find. : )

Mexi-Lasagna

1 lb ground beef
salt & pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced (or 2 frozen garlic cubes)
2 tsp cilantro, minced (or 2 frozen cilantro cubes)
4 oz cream cheese
1 pkg taco seasoning
2/3 c water
1/3 c Ortega taco sauce
2 large whole wheat flour tortillas
1 c monterey jack cheese, shredded
1 1/2 c cheddar cheese, shredded
3-4 Tbls black olives, sliced
green onion, chopped (optional)
sour cream (for topping)



Frozen garlic & cilantro - super convenient!

In a large pan, brown ground beef and drain excess grease. Add salt/pepper, garlic and cilantro to the beef and cook over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes. Add cream cheese, taco seasoning, water and taco sauce. Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes until mixture thickens. In a round casserole pan, spray with Pam cooking spray and place 1 of the large tortillas in the bottom of the pan. Spoon half of the meat mixture on the tortilla and then sprinkle half of the cheese on top of it. Add the next layer (1 tortilla, 1/2 the meat, 1/2 of the cheese). Top with black olives and bake at 375 for 30-45 minutes. Top with green onion if using. Serve topped with sour cream and/or guacamole. 



Loaded Mashed Potato Casserole

Potatoes topped with bacon - what's not to love?!

I grew up eating potatoes probably five days a week. My dad used to joke that it wasn't even a meal if potatoes weren't in the table. When you are feeding a big family, potatoes make the perfect side dish...they are inexpensive, can be prepared a hundred different ways, and they are a hearty, fill-you-up, option. When I was asked to bring a side dish to a friends house, these loaded mashed potatoes quickly came to mind. They can be prepared in advance and then heated through right before serving.
You will see that I used Yukon gold or yellow potatoes instead of a classic russet. We love the golden potatoes for their rich color, smooth texture and flavor.

Loaded Baked Potato Casserole

5 lb bag golden/yellow potatoes, peeled
2 bay leaves
4 oz cream cheese
2/3 c sour cream
5 Tbls butter
3-5 Tbls milk or half and half
1/2 bunch green onion, chopped
1/2 lb bacon, cooked and cut in bite-size pieces
1 c shredded cheddar cheese

Peel potatoes and place in a large stock pot. Cover potatoes with water and add bay leaves. Boil potatoes for 30-45 min until tender. Drain water and remove bay leaves. In a stand mixer add cream cheese, sour cream, butter, milk and potatoes. Mix on medium speed until smooth. Place mashed potatoes in a buttered casserole dish or 9x13 pan. Top with shredded cheese and cooked bacon. Bake at 375 for 20 minutes or until heated through and cheese is melted. Remove from oven and top with green onions.

White Chicken Enchiladas

I love Mexican food and make the classic version of enchiladas (ground beef with red sauce) on a regular basis. I saw this recipe on Pinterest yesterday around 1:00; picked up the groceries for it at 3:00; and had it prepared and in my refrigerator by 4:30. I just had to put it in the oven and dinner was served at 6:00. (Awesome, I know!) This recipe was so good. I couldn't get enough of the sour cream sauce that covered the enchiladas and every bite was tender and cheesy. This will be a recipe I will continue to tweak, not because it needed it, but because I can already think of variations that would be fun and equally delicious.

White Chicken Enchiladas

This picture doesn't really give this recipe justice.

16 oz. Daisy brand sour cream*
1 can cream of chicken soup

1 Tbls fresh chopped cilantro
1/2 tsp pepper

2 1/2 cups cooked shredded chicken breast (I used rotisserie chicken)

1 can Rotel (tomatoes with green chilies)

1/2 c chopped onions
(1) 4 oz can diced green chilies 

8 medium-sized flour tortillas

1 c shredded pepper jack cheese

1 c shredded white cheddar cheese

 



Cheesy goodness

In a sauce pan mix together sour cream, soup, cilantro and pepper. Heat through over medium-low heat and set aside.

 

Combine the chicken, rotel, onions and green chilies in a large bowl.

 

Fill each tortilla with about 2-3 tablespoons of the chicken mixture and then top with about 1-2 tablespoon of the pepper jack cheese. Roll the tortillas up and place them seam side down in a greased 9 x 13 pan.

 

Pour and spread the sour cream sauce over enchiladas and top with the shredded cheddar cheese.

 

Bake at 350°F for 45 minutes until bubbly and cheese is melted. (I baked the enchiladas with tin foil for the first half of baking and removed the tin foil for the 2nd half.)

*I had to list Daisy brand sour cream because I am their biggest fan - I pick up a tub weekly and use it for everything from chips and dip to baking. Once you try it, you won't buy any other brand either. : )

Recipe adapted from: http://skinnymom.com/2012/05/11/skinny-sour-cream-enchiladas/

Ham & Hashbrowns

What to do with leftover Easter ham?? I started thinking of all the possibilities a couple of weeks ago and got so excited. Split pea soup...omelets...leftover ham sandwiches...yum. Then my week got busy, I didn't have my menu planned out, and I needed to use my leftover ham in a hurry. With only a short window of time to cook in, and no plan, I threw together this ham and hashbrown casserole. It was no split pea soup but it was a comforting casserole during a hectic week which was perfect.
Ham & Hashbrowns
1 lb. shredded hashbrowns
1 1/2 c. cubed ham
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 c. milk
1 can cream of celery soup
salt/pepper
small onion, diced
1/2 c. sour cream
Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Pour into a buttered casserole dish and bake at 375 uncovered for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Chicken Pot Pie

Nothing says comfort like a warm serving of this delicious chicken pot pie. You take the basic ingredients of chicken noodle soup, add cream and flakey puff pastry and you have a mini masterpiece. I was so excited to work with puff pastry because I never had before. Just remember to take the frozen dough out 45 minutes before you need it so it is easy to work with. We made our pot pies in individual ramekins (you just feel so special when you have a personal serving made just for you) but you could also make this family style in a large casserole pan.

Chicken Pot Pie
2 chicken breasts
3 carrots, peeled and chopped (about 1/2 c.)
2 potatoes, peeled and chopped (about 1/2 c.)
2 stalks of celery, chopped (about 1/4 c.)
1 onion, chopped
1/2 c. heavy cream
Salt/Pepper
1/2 c. flour
3-4 Tbs. butter
2-14 oz cans chicken broth
1/2 tsp. parsley
1/4 tsp. rosemary
egg wash (one egg beaten with 1 tbs. water)
17 oz box frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed

Peel and chop all vegetables so they are all approximately the same size and set aside. Cube chicken breasts and cook in saute pan over medium heat with a little olive oil and salt and pepper. Spoon cooked chicken into a bowl and add chopped vegetables into the pan. Add chicken broth to the vegetables and simmer for 15 minutes. In a small saute pan melt butter over medium heat. Add flour to the butter and cook for a minute or two stirring constantly. Add cream to the flour mixture and stir until smooth. Add flour/cream mixture to chicken broth and vegetables to thicken. Add cooked chicken, parsley and rosemary. Spoon finished mixture into baking dish so that it fills the dish leaving about a 1/4" of space from the top. Brush egg wash mixture of the top edge of the baking dish and then place the pastry sheet over
the top, pinching the sides closed. Make a small slit on the top of the pastry dough with a knife and bake at 375 F for 45 minutes.
Printable Recipe

Tater Tot Hotdish

Tater tot hotdish is one of those foods one would probably not make for dinner guests and I'm not sure why. Why are hotdishes, casseroles and goulashes never publicly recognized?? I have never seen them on a menu, my collection of cookbooks  is bare of any mention, and I have never been served a hotdish while at someone else's house. This leads us to making the same casseroles that our mothers and grandmothers made before us. Well, I love making them and I love eating them. Meat, potatoes and vegetables all cozied and baked together. It would be perfect for guests since it can be assembled and refrigerated until ready to bake.
I usually make this tater tot hotdish with a frozen vegetable mix, but the last couple of times I've use fresh vegetables and they make a world of difference. Tonight's star was a sweet potato - hearty, slightly sweet and a wonderfully vibrant orange. This meal is perfect for dinner and the leftovers make for an anticipated lunch the next day.
Tater Tot Hotdish
1 lb. ground beef
1 sm. onion, chopped
1 lg. sweet potato, peeled, and chopped
1 c. peas
1 clove of garlic
salt and pepper
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/3 c. half and half
3 Tbs. ketchup
2 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
3 c. tater tots
In a large pan, brown ground beef, drain and set aside. Coat pan in olive oil and add sweet potato, onion, garlic, salt/pepper and cook over medium heat until potato is tender (about 5 minutes). Add meat back to the pan and stir in peas, soup, half and half, ketchup, and worcestershire sauce. Place mixture in a baking dish and top with tater tots. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and then bake at 375 for 45 minutes or until tots are golden brown.
Printable Recipe

Crescent Roll Hotdish

This is my older brother's famous dish. I don't know where it originated but I know that Kevin and his roommates ate so much of it in college that I should have bought stock in Pillsbury. I appreciate a good hotdish and this one is a nice change of pace. It only has a few ingredients and it feeds a crowd (hence the college appeal). Tonight we cut the recipe in half and made it in a pie pan which still feeds four. I served green peas with it and they were a perfect pair. I should mention that I made this recipe for a family that I used to nanny for. The day after making it, the 4 year old told me that nobody in their family liked it and they threw the whole thing in the garbage. (I love a preschooler's honesty!) I think of that story and laugh every time I make this now. Regardless of their opinion, my family really likes crescent roll hotdish and I think yours may too.
Crescent Roll Hotdish
2 cans of Pillsbury crescent rolls
1/4 c. sour cream
1 lb. ground beef
1 tsp. oregano
salt/pepper
1 lg. jar spaghetti sauce
1-2 c. shredded colby-jack or mozzarella cheese

Place crescent dough flat and spread a generous layer of sour cream on each triangle. Roll crescent rolls up individually as directed so you have 16 prepared rolls. Set aside. Meanwhile, brown ground beef in a medium skillet and drain excess fat. Stir in oregano, salt/pepper and spaghetti sauce. Pour mixture into a 9x13 pan and sprinkle shredded cheese on top. Place crescent rolls on top of cheese. Bake at 375 for 35-45 minutes or until dark golden brown.
Printable Recipe

Scalloped Potatoes & Ham

I grew up on a farm so it was pretty much mandatory to have meat and potatoes on the table at the end of a day. This is a version of scalloped potatoes and ham that my family always made. This hotdish is hearty and delicious - the kind of meal to warm you up on a cold winter's night. Put your leftover Christmas ham to good use in this recipe. I attempted to measure the ingredients while I was making this tonight but it is really more like a good estimate. Check on the consistency half way through the baking process and adjust the amount of milk, cheese, etc. as you see fit.

Scalloped Potatoes & Ham

6-8 large russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1" pieces

1 sm. onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

1 can cream of mushroom soup

3/4 c. half and half or milk

1 c. shredded colby jack or cheddar cheese

salt/pepper

3 Tbls. cold butter cut chunks

Combine all ingredients in a large casserole and bake at 375 F until potatoes are tender, approximately 90 minutes. Stir a couple of times while baking. (Bake covered for the first 45 minutes and uncovered for the remaining 30-45 minutes.)

Tip: For a quick meal you can combine all of the ingredients and refrigerate the day before and bake at a later time.

Mexican Lasagna

This Minnesota Mexican dish was, naturally, picked up at a potluck that my mom went to. It's part enchilada, part hotdish, which equals one satisfying meal. I love the texture of the baked corn tortillas and the cream of mushroom base brings me back home to the cream-of-something-inspired dishes that my mom frequently made. There are quite a bit of olives in this dish but if you don't like them I think they could easily be omitted. Don't forget to top it with all of your favorite taco toppings i.e. lettuce, tomatoes, taco sauce, sour cream, avocados, green chilies, etc. Ole!

Mexican Lasagna

1 lb ground beef

1/2 onion chopped

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

6 oz. black olives, sliced

1/2 sm. can green chilies, chopped

1 c. mild Ortega taco sauce

12 sm. corn tortillas

6 c. shredded colby jack/cheddar

Brown meat and onions, drain excess fat. Add soup, salt/pepper, taco sauce, olives and chilies. Simmer a few minutes. Grease 9x13 pan and line with 6 tortillas. Layer 1/2 the meat, 1/2 the cheese then 6 more tortillas, remaining meat and cheese. Bake at 350 30-45 minutes. Let set 10 minutes before cutting to serve.

Green Bean Casserole

I couldn't post every item on my Thanksgiving menu since I was busy hosting my family for the weekend. (I was so happy that my husband was able to snap a picture of his plate since I was not thinking of my blog during the holiday.) Instead, I decided to feature one of my favorite new recipes for you to try, perhaps this Christmas. I have always liked the topping on green bean casserole but never liked the mushy center. I searched Food Network's website because I trusted their experts would know how to make this casserole better. By using fresh cut beans instead of canned or frozen the casserole was less mushy. I also used cream and fresh mushrooms instead of cream of mushroom soup which made the whole dish taste fresher. I still topped them with the prepared french onion crisps that we all love!

Fresh Green Bean Casserole

2 Tbls. salt

1-2 pounds fresh green beans, rinsed, trimmed and halved 2 Tbs. unsalted butter 12 oz. mushrooms, sliced 1/2 tsp. black pepper 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/4 tsp. freshly ground nutmeg 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 cup chicken broth 1 cup half-and-half

1 1/2 c. French fried onion Bring a gallon of water and 2 tablespoons of salt to a boil in an 8-quart saucepan. Add the beans and simmer for 10 minutes or until al dente. Drain and set aside. Melt the butter in a 12-inch cast iron skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms, 1 teaspoon salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are tender. Add the garlic and nutmeg and continue to cook for another 1 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the mixture and stir to combine. Cook for 1 minute. Add the broth and simmer for 1 minute. Decrease the heat to medium-low and add the half-and-half. Cook until the mixture thickens, stirring occasionally, approximately 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the green beans. Top with onion crisps. Place into 425 degree F oven and bake until bubbly, approximately 25 minutes. Remove and serve immediately.

Adapted from Alton Brown's Green Bean Casserole recipe

Mac-n-Cheese

I feel like I should back track and explain what is going on here. This past weekend I received a hand-made cookbook from Ryan's aunt Denise. She hand wrote all of her favorite recipes she has saved from family, friends and magazines over her lifetime and gifted them to me. (Thanks Denise!!) I decided to dedicate our dinners for this week to her cookbook. This blog is what resulted.

Sunday I made her apple crisp. Monday I thought I would jump right in and try her world-famous macaroni and cheese. This is Denise's favorite food - she even requests that everyone raises a fork of it in her honor at her funeral luncheon. I started making it knowing that it would be hard to convince Ryan and I that this would be as good Kraft. As funny as that sounds, Ryan and I both grew up on Kraft and it is a shared comfort food. I followed the recipe exactly since I didn't want to stand in the way of perfection. What I did love about this recipe is that it calls for thin spaghetti instead of elbow macaroni. I also liked that it bakes in the oven and forms a cheesy crust on the outside and is very gooey in the center. We gave it two thumbs up but Ryan requests more cheese for next time. (This is no surprise since Ryan thinks all food tastes better with extra cheese or ketchup!)

Denise's Macaroni & Cheese

2 C. + sharp cheddar cheese, cubed

7 oz. thin spaghetti noodles, cooked al dente

Medium white sauce (below)

Butter casserole, put in cooked noodles pour white sauce over followed by cheese cubes. Mix to make sure sauce spreads through noodles.

Bake at 350, uncovered for 1 hour.

White Sauce

4 Tbls butter

4 Tbls flour - melt butter and add flour. Add:

2 C. milk

salt & pepper

celery salt - small amount

oregano - small amount

"Spike" - small amount

dry onions (minced) about 1/4 cup