Egg McMuffin Casserole

Original Recipe HERE

Is it OK to call this an Egg McMuffin casserole?  No McDonald's products were harmed in the making of it.

We had this for dinner, and three out of three kids said they liked it.  No second helpings were had because we were running supremely late and bedtime was on the horizon, but I think they would've if I let them.

I almost put shredded cheese in this (because if it's basically a giant mess of breakfast sandwich-ness, how was there no cheese??), and I'll add it to the egg/milk mixture next time.  I think it would've added that little extra flavor I was looking for (because I forgot to put in the salt and pepper, and I debated things like oregano or Montreal Steak seasoning or Jane's Krazy but didn't follow through).  I could've put vegetables in if diced small and cooked with the sausage, but *P* reminded me that *J* would pick them all out.  Next time I'll sneak some finely chopped spinach and red pepper, maybe.

Also, this is a very kid-friendly meal, preparation-wise.  *P* helped me make it at lunchtime, and I put it in the oven when we got home from afterschool activities at 6:00pm.

Ingredients

6 English muffins, torn into large bite-sized pieces

1 package (1 lb) ground sausage [I used one 16 oz "tube"]

1/2 cup onion, diced small

1 teaspoon jarred minced garlic

8 eggs [I used 4 whole eggs and the equivalent of 4 egg whites]

1 & 1/2 cups milk

2 Tablespoons spicy mustard

salt & pepper

Directions

(1) Grease a 9x13" glass baking dish.

(2) In a large skillet over medium heat, brown sausage until no longer pink, breaking it up as it cooks.  Add onion and garlic during final minutes of cooking.

(3) Toss together muffin pieces and sausage mixture.  Spread evenly in baking dish.

(4) In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, mustard, salt, and pepper.

(5) Pour egg mixture over the muffin mixture.  Bake immediately or cover and refrigerate overnight.

(6) In an oven heated to 350 degrees F, bake casserole 45-50 minutes or until eggs are set in the middle.  Cover with foil during last 15 minutes to avoid browning if needed.

Kid Participation:

* Tear muffins

* Stir together muffins and sausage

* Crack eggs

* Whisk wet ingredients

* Pour egg mixture

Ritz-Topped Vegetable Casserole

Original Recipe HERE

 

The amount of mayonnaise in this recipe made me cringe, but I thought it was worth trying because the bulk of the dish was straight-up vegetables.  And I'm not above smothering veggies in sauces, condiments, whathaveyou in order to get my kids to eat them...as I pretend that I'm not negating their health benefits by doing so.

 

I couldn't find American cheese in a block, so I diced up several of the individually-wrapped slices.  The pieces stuck together, so I was worried that it would mean pockets of cheese in the finished product instead of a uniform distribution.  Whatever ended up happening with the cheese wasn't an issue, but I would take more time to do it properly.

 

Next time, I will mix the melted butter with the crushed crackers before spreading them over the top.  The coverage was uneven doing it as the original recipe instructed.  Also, I bet this would be even better with the French's fried onions on top (because most things in this world would be).

 

Each kid asked for multiple rounds of this and told me to make it again.  It was super easy, and the original post said that it can be made up to a day ahead.  I'm sure that this convenient meal will be repeated.  Also, I learned that my kids like lima beans (from the frozen veggie medley)...they've been lucky to be spared the dreaded legume thus far, but it turns out it was for naught.

 

Ingredients

1/4 cup salted butter, divided
1 cup finely-chopped celery

1/2 to 1 cup finely-chopped yellow onion

2 to 3 cloves finely-chopped garlic
1 bag (32 oz) frozen mixed vegetables, thawed
2 cups frozen corn kernels, thawed
1 cup (or 4 oz) finely diced American cheese
¾ cup mayonnaise [I used 2/3 cup mayo and the rest Ranch dressing]
1 sleeve Ritz crackers, crushed

 

Directions

(1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

(2) In a medium skillet over medium heat, melt half of the butter over medium heat.

(3) Saute celery and onion until softened, 8 to 10 minutes.  Add garlic toward the end.  Remove from the heat and transfer to a large mixing bowl.

(4) Add mixed vegetables, corn, American cheese, mayonnaise, and Ranch (if using) to the bowl.  Combine thoroughly.

(5) Transfer the mixture to a casserole dish.

(6) In a small bowl, mix together crushed Ritz and melted butter.

(7) Evenly sprinkle the crushed Ritz over the top of the casserole.

(9) Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until golden brown on top.

 

Kid Participation:

* Mix vegetables and sauce

* Measure mayo and Ranch

* Crush Ritz

* Sprinkle Ritz

Honey Mustard Lentils & Rice

Original Recipe HERE

 

I took a risk on this one, not sure if it would have enough flavor to appeal to my family nor whether the texture would sit well with them.  The kids all ate some as a side dish - I think the sweetness of the honey was key.  It was a little bland for me...I think fresh onion would've been better.

 

Next time I will add smoked sausage or something else to turn it into a one-dish meal.  Also, it made a TON of food.  I will definitely cut the ingredient amounts in half.

 

Ingredients

1 lb green lentils

1 cup brown rice

3 Tablespoons dried minced onion or 1 cup chopped fresh onion [I used dried]

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1/2 cup mustard [I used Dijon]

1/3 cup honey

 

Directions

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2) In a large mixing bowl, combine lentils, rice, onion, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.

3) Pour 7 cups hot water into the lentil mixture.  Stir gently.

4) In a small bowl, combine mustard and honey.  Gently fold into lentil mixture.

5) Pour lentil mixture into a 9x13" glass baking dish.  Cover tightly with foil.

6) Bake 60 minutes, or until rice and lentils are soft.

 

Kid Participation:

* Measure dry ingredients

* Stirring.  Lots of stirring.

Sausage & Stuffing Bake

Original recipe HERE

 

This is marketed as a brunch dish, but I made it for dinner.  It's a simple one to tweak according to your own tastes: type of sausage, variety of vegetables, or type of cheese.

 

My kids liked it and asked for seconds.  They even ate most of the vegetables.  I wish the egg element had been a little firmer, so next time I might cut the amount of egg whites and add in a few full eggs.  Also, the cheese congealed on top as the casserole cooled, so perhaps stirring the cheese into the stuffing mixture would prevent that and distribute the cheese flavor into every bite.

I used the cubed stuffing, but it still pretty much just turned into one mass of mush (which I say in a good way) along with the egg.  I thought there would be more of a bread-like substance throughout, but it was just egg-y.  The taste was fine, but the consistency wasn't what I was expecting...just an FYI.

 

Ingredients

1 lb sausage, precooked [I used Italian chicken]

1 small onion, diced small

8 oz mushrooms, sliced

2 stalks celery, diced

2 to 3 carrots, peeled & diced

2 to 3 cloves garlic, pressed

2 Tablespoons olive oil

4 cups herb seasoned stuffing mix [I used Pepperidge Farm cubed style]

1/2 cup broth

2 Tablespoons butter, melted

5 oz sharp cheddar, grated

2 cups milk

16 oz carton fat-free egg substitute [I used a container of egg whites]

salt & pepper, to taste

 

Directions

(1) Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.  Lightly grease a 9x13" baking dish.

(2) Cut sausages in half lengthwise, then into slices.

(3) In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat.

(4) Add sausage, onion, mushrooms, celery, carrot, and garlic to skillet.  Saute until sausage is browned and vegetables are softened.

(5) In a large mixing bowl, combine stuffing and sausage mixture.  Stir thoroughly.

(6) Transfer stuffing mixture to the baking dish.  Drizzle with broth and melted butter.

(7) Sprinkle shredded cheese evenly over the stuffing mixture.

(8) In a separate bowl, whisk together milk, egg substitute, salt, and pepper. 

(9) Pour milk mixture evenly over the stuffing mixture. 

(10) Bake about 40 minutes, uncovered, or until egg is set and casserole is cooked through.  Allow to cool several minutes before serving.

 

Kid Participation: None.

Santa Fe Casserole

Original Recipe HERE

 

This was a tasty casserole that was (1) easy to assemble, and (2) light enough that it didn't leave me feeling like I had a rock in my stomach afterward.

More vegetables could be added to bulk it up and add nutrition.  And I feel like it was missing a little something to make it extra special.  Next time I'll throw some salsa into the mix, a little garlic powder, and something like precooked sausage.

 

Ingredients

1/2 cup red onion, chopped

2 to 3 garlic cloves, pressed or minced

1/2 Tablespoon olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon pepper

1 can (15 oz) beans of choice, rinsed & drained [I used pinto]

1 red or green bell pepper, chopped fine

3/4 cup milk

1-1/2 cup brown rice, cooked

2 eggs, beaten

1-1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

 

Directions

(1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease a 2-quart casserole dish.

(2) In small skillet, heat olive oil on medium high heat.  Add onion and garlic; saute until tender.

(3) In  large mixing bowl, whisk eggs.  Add salt, chili powder, pepper, beans, bell pepper, milk, rice, and cheese; mix well.

(4) Pour mixture into casserole dish.

(5) Bake 25 minutes or until center is firm.  Let cool 5 minutes before serving.

 

Kid Participation:

* Stir all ingredients together

* Pick out red bell pepper AGAIN...someday I will get them to eat it!

Mexican-Style Brown Rice Casserole

Original Recipe: Weight Watchers (but tweaked)

This is an easy throw-together dish since I always have all the ingredients on hand. And if I don't, it's still forgiving and substitutions are easy.

The family all ate their servings of this dish (except *J*'s share of spinach). We just dug in with normal utensils, but this could also be served dip-style (scooped with chips) or perhaps even as filling for burritos or tacos.

Ingredients

4 cups cooked brown rice

1 cup salsa

1 teaspoon cumin [optional]

1 teaspoon garlic powder [optional]

2 oz reduced-fat cream cheese, softened [optional]

1 (15 oz) can refried beans [I used vegetarian, fat-free]

1 (10 oz) package frozen corn [I used 16 oz Trader Joe's roasted corn], thawed

1 (4 oz) can diced green chili peppers

1 Tablespoon chili powder [or to taste]

1 (10 oz) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed & well drained

3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions

(1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 2-quart or 9x13" baking dish.

(2) In medium bowl, combine rice, salsa, cumin, garlic powder, and cream cheese. Evenly spread half of mixture on bottom of baking dish.

(3) In another bowl, combine beans, corn, peppers, and chili powder. Evenly spread over rice in dish.

(4) Layer spinach over bean mixture.

(5) Sprinkle cheese over spinach.

(6) Evenly spread remaining rice mixture on top.

(7) Cover; bake 20-30 minutes or until heated through and cheese is melted.

Kid Participation:

* Combine various mixtures

* Spread mixtures (perhaps not so evenly)

* Sprinkle cheese

Sausage, Pepper, & Potato Bake

Original Recipe HERE

 

I made some tweaks to the original recipe - namely, adding turmeric.  It wasn't sure if the dish would have enough flavor for my liking.  And there's only so many times you can dump garlic salt into something before your taste buds start getting immune to the flavor.  I fished around my spice shelf, opened a few containers and sniffed, and decided it was turmeric's night to shine.  I liked the result and resolved to use this unappetizingly colorful spice more frequently.

 

Ingredients

4 precooked sausage links [I used chicken]

4 Tablespoons olive oil, divided

3 cups red potatoes, cubed

1/4 teaspoon turmeric [or to taste]

2 peppers, diced [red, green, yellow, or orange]

1 leek [white part], cleaned and sliced

4 cloves garlic, smashed and coarsely chopped

14-oz can diced tomatoes, drained

1-1/2 cups chicken broth

salt & pepper

3/4 cup shredded cheese of your choice [I used garlic & herb]

 

Directions

(1) Preheat oven to 350 F.

(2) Slice sausage in half lengthwise and then into thin slices.

(3) Heat 1 Tablespoon olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat.  Add sausage; brown.  Remove from skillet; set aside.

(4) Add 2 Tablespoons olive oil to skillet.  Add potatoes; cook 6-8 minutes or until a light brown crust forms.  Halfway through cooking, add turmeric.

(5) Add peppers; saute 2-3 minutes or until peppers are tender-crisp.  Remove mixture from skillet; set aside.

(6) Add remaining olive oil to skillet.  Add leek; saute 2-3 minutes or until tender.

(7) Add garlic; saute 1 minute.

(8) Add tomatoes to skillet; stir mixture well.

(9) Add broth; bring to a gentle boil.  Season with salt and pepper.

(10) Pour mixture into 2-quart casserole dish.  Cover with foil; bake 45 minutes.  Remove foil; sprinkle with cheese; bake an additional 10 minutes.

 

Kid Participation: None.

Zucchini Crouton Casserole

Original Recipe HERE

This was called Baked Zucchini Parmesan by its creator, but I think of breadcrumb-dredged-and-fried-in-oil goodness when I hear "parmesan."  So I'm changing its name.

This was super easy to make, especially since all the prep can be done ahead of time.  Just assemble the dish when it's time to bake, and voila.  I added an extra zucchini layer to make it more vegetable-y to balance out the copious amount of croutons. I wasn't sure how mushy the zucchini would get, but it was cooked through while retaining some crispness.  Next time, I will coarsely chop (smash?) the croutons a bit for more even coverage.  *N* ate two helpings and told me that now she likes zucchini (a declaration that is only good until the next time the vegetable is served to her, then all bets are off).  *J* ate all the croutons and cheese, as expected, and refused the zucchini.  When I shot down his request for more croutons, telling him he had to eat the zucchini first, he picked at his dish until every grain of rice was gone.  But he was stubborn about the green stuff.

Ingredients

2 cups cooked rice [I used brown instant rice]
1 egg
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 Tablespoon olive oil
2 large or 3 medium zucchini
2 cups spaghetti sauce
2 to 3 cups croutons
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese [or your favorite blend]

Directions
(1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
(2) In a bowl, combine egg and spices. Mix thoroughly.  Add rice; mix again.
(3) Add olive oil to the bottom of a 9x13" pan; spread evenly.
(4) Spread rice mixture in bottom of pan.
(5) Peel zucchini.  Slice lengthwise in 1/4″ thick slices. Place a single layer of zucchini slices on the r6ce.
(6) Pour one cup of spaghetti sauce over zucchini; spread evenly.
(7) Sprinkle one cup of cheese over the spaghetti sauce.
(8) Repeat zucchini / sauce / cheese steps.
(9) Layer croutons over cheese.
(10) Sprinkle remaining cheese over croutons.
(11) Cover with foil; bake 25 minutes. Remove foil; bake an additional 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Kid Participation:
* Mix rice, spices, & egg
* Spread rice mixture
* Layer zucchini
* Sprinkle cheese
* Sprinkle croutons
* Smash croutons, if they are having a temper tantrum and need a constructive outlet for their emotions

Mushroom & Leek Tart

Original Recipe HERE

This took a bit more time to make than I'd anticipated (probably mostly due to two particularly clingy, attention-seeking little ones that night), but it was worth the work.  I'm sure you could use a store-bought crust to make life easier, but the one included in the recipe was much better than anything Pillsbury offers.

Ingredients

* For the crust:

1 cup flour, plus more for rolling out dough

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

7 Tablespoons butter, chilled and cut into small pieces

* For the filling:

3 Tablespoons butter

3 leeks, white and very light green parts halved, cleaned, and thinly sliced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 pound chanterelles [or any other mushrooms; I used baby bella] cut into about 1-in. pieces

2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves *OR* 1 teaspoon dried [I used dried]

3 Tablespoons heavy whipping cream

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 cup grated gruyère cheese

Directions

* To make crust:

(1) Cut butter into small cubes and place in freezer for 20 minutes.

(2) In medium bowl *OR* bowl of food processor, combine flour, salt, and pepper.

(3) Rub butter into flour until it resembles cornmeal but some larger, pea-size pieces remain *OR* pulse butter into flour until coarse, cornmeal-textured mixture forms.

(4) Drizzle 3 Tablespoons ice-cold water into dough while stirring quickly with a fork *OR* drizzle ice water into food processor (while running) until dough comes together.

(5) Turn dough onto large piece of plastic wrap.  Fold wrap over dough; press into 1"-thick disk.  Refrigerate at least 30 minutes and up to 2 days.
(6) Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

(7) Lightly flour work surface. Unwrap dough.  Using rolling pin, gently roll it (turning dough 90 degrees between each roll) into 12" circle.

(8) Place rolled-out dough into 9 1/2" tart pan. Trim edges flush with pan edges.

(9) Cover dough with large piece of aluminum foil.  Weigh foil down with pie weights, dried beans, or uncooked rice.

(10) Bake crust 20 minutes. Lift foil and weights off crust and bake until beginning to turn golden, about 10 additional minutes. Let crust cool to room temperature if possible.

* To make filling:

(1) While crust bakes, melt butter in large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add leeks and salt.  Cook, stirring, until leeks are soft, about 3 minutes.

(2) Turn heat to high.  Add mushrooms. Cook, stirring frequently, until mushrooms have given off their liquid, 5 to 10 minutes.

(3) Stir in thyme, cream, and pepper.  Turn off heat and let cool to room temperature.

* To bake tart:

(1) Spread half of grated cheese over tart crust. Spread leek-mushroom mixture on top.  Sprinkle with remaining cheese.

(2) Cover loosely wiht foil to prevent severe browning of crust.  Bake until cheese is melted and golden, about 25 minutes. Let sit 10 minutes before cutting. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes: Maybe I should experiment and find the best store-bought crust available, just for the sake of this being a quicker-to-prepare weeknight meal.  Other cheeses could also be substituted.

Kid Participation: None...this was something better left to Mom.

Chicken Zucchini Casserole

Original Recipe HERE

This recipe isn't going to win any points for being healthy, though a few ingredients can be modified (like using low-fat or reduced sodium condensed soup...just be sure to read the labels carefully to make sure that what you're saving in calories isn't being negated by scary additives and chemicals).  The original used an insane amount of butter, so I followed several comments and substituted milk for some of it.  But...it was easy, fast, filling, and a good way to use up the abundant zucchini.  Because my other option was making chocolate zucchini bread.  I think that this was the lesser of the two evils.

Ingredients

1 6-oz box whole wheat stuffing mix

1/4 cup butter, melted

1/2 cup milk

3 cups diced & peeled zucchini

2 cups cubed or shredded cooked chicken [about 2 large breasts]

1 10.75-oz can condensed cream of chicken soup

8 baby carrots, finely chopped

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup low-fat sour cream

additional seasoning, such as garlic powder, salt, pepper, etc. [optional]

Directions

1) Preheat oven to 350 F.

2) In large bowl, combine stuffing mix, butter, and milk.

3) Add zucchini, chicken, soup, carrot, onion, sour cream, and optional seasoning to the remaining stuffing mixture.

4) Transfer to a greased 2.5-quart baking dish.  Bake, uncovered, for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly.

Notes: Next time I'll take substitue all but 2 tablespoons of butter with milk.   Adding shredded cheese, pressed garlic, or finely chopped onion could work, though they're not necessary flavor additions.  Different condensed soups could be used to tweak it.

Kid Participation:

* Stir ingredients

* Transfer mixture to baking dish (and then clean up the subsequent specimens that escape)

Creamy Chicken & Rice Casserole

Original Recipe HERE

This recipe makes no claim to be healthy, but it is tasty and easy.  Two out of three ain't bad.  I did try to "health-ify" it a little bit, but I would label it a "comfort food."  Tummy-filling, warm, scoopable, and all the other things that contribute to bringing you to your Happy Place after having eaten it.  And I welcome any excuse to eat fried onions from the can on my dinner.

Ingredients

1 box (6 oz) chicken-flavor Rice-A-Roni

1 can (10 oz) cream of mushroom soup, low-fat or reduced sodium

8 oz low-fat sour cream

1 lb chicken (approximate), cooked & shredded/diced [I used two large skinless, boneless breasts]

frozen chopped vegetables, thawed [I used a bag of carrots, peas, & green beans]

3-6 oz Durkee French-fried Onions [to taste]

Directions

1) Preheat oven to 350 F.

2) Prepare Rice-A-Roni according to package directions [I used one tablespoon of butter instead of the recommended two].

3) Mix sour cream and soup in a large bowl.

3) When rice is done, add to bowl and stir to combine.  Add chicken and thawed vegetables.

4) Grease or spray a 9x13 baking dish.  Spread mixture evenly in the dish.

5) Bake, uncovered, for 40 minutes.

6) Remove from oven.  Top with fried onions [to taste] and return to oven for 5 minutes.

Notes: Tasty enough to make again.  I think it would be a great potluck dish, or a bring-to-a-friend-in-need meal (leaving the fried onions off and having them add them after reheating).

Kid Participation:

* Stirring all ingredients together.

* Spreading into baking dish.

* Eating fried onions from the can.