Dinner Casseroles
Simple Homemade Baked Ziti
Simple homemade baked ziti is one of the most delicious, ooey-gooey cheesy, comforting recipes out there! There’s this little neighborhood pizzeria about two miles from one of our old houses in Maryland that has the best baked ziti recipe I’ve ever eaten. I don’t claim to be a baked ziti expert, but I know a good Italian recipe when I taste one. And what I loved most about their baked ziti is that it’s simple; it doesn’t taste fussy or overdone. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This post may contain affiliate links. Just the right amount of fresh basil and fresh mozzarella, a sauce and ricotta ratio…
Pork Parmesan
“Pork Parmesan,” you’re thinking? A funny thing happens when you have a recipe in mind, but then realize when it’s time to make it that you don’t have all the right ingredients on hand. First a moment of panic, and then a path down the improvisation highway! We love Chicken Parmesan in our house; it’s kind of like an Italian comfort food. Last week I had been thinking about making it all day while I was at work, ticking off the ingredients on the imaginary list in my head: chicken (yep), sauce (uh-huh), Parmesan (yes), Provolone (of course), spaghetti (check). But when I got home I realized on critical piece to the…
Easy Creamy Scalloped Potatoes
I believe I could eat potatoes every day of the year. I’m not sure my family would agree. I mean, my son practically wretches at the sight of a potato, unless its form is that of a french fry. It’s true. I’m not kidding. How does that even happen? Don’t all kids eat their weight in mashed potatoes? Not this one. And … my husband and daughter like a little variety in their dinner regime. Imagine. So, there you have it. I manage one potato dish a week. Sometimes if I’m extra crafty, I can sneak in two. That’s where scalloped potatoes come in to play. Not your everyday mashed…
Spinach, Mushroom and Italian Sausage Lasagna
My family really doesn’t love lasagna. Not just my lasagna, any lasagna. How does this happen? Actually, my husband has grown to like it more over the years. Or he’s just being nice. For him it’s a texture thing – he’s not a big fan of ricotta cheese, so lasagnas loaded with it are a turnoff. My kids, however? They’d rather eat a pile of vegetables. I’m not complaining, mind you, but really?? Who doesn’t like the cheesy goodness that is lasagna? Oh well. It’s a good thing lasagna works awesomely for lunch-leftovers, and this particular batch of spinach, mushroom and Italian sausage lasagna turned out amazing!
Hearty Beef Lasagna
During the busy winter days leading up to Christmas I like to make hearty, warm comfort food meals – especially the kind you can prep on the weekend, and then throw in the oven for an hour later in the week. Makes my life a lot easier after a crazy workday. Lasagna is one of my favorite casseroles to make, despite that my husband doesn’t love it (not that he doesn’t love MY lasagna, he’s just not a fan in general because of the ricotta cheese – everyone has their idiosyncrasies, I know). This particular recipe, with bolder flavors and spices than normal, garnered a different response from him the other…
Simple Oyster Casserole
This simple oyster casserole will become a favorite dish for the holidays! One of the things I love about cooking is the ability to try a recipe, then change it up to make it my own. But sometimes a recipe is *so perfect* just the way it started that altering it would seem almost offensive. Like this simple oyster casserole. I got this oyster casserole recipe from a friend, back in 2001. It’s hard to remember exactly, but I believe at the time I was looking for something to make for a holiday dinner at my future in-laws’ house, so she pulled out a few of her trusted, favorite…
Chicken Noodle Casserole
Chicken noodle casserole is a comforting throwback meal that’s easy to make and perfect to feed a crowd. There’s just something about old classics! I love ’em. Meatloaf, roast chicken, mashed potatoes … the list could go on and on. Call me strange, but dining hall food in college (which happens, oddly enough, to be very close to the aforementioned list) never creeped me out like it did some of my roommates. One of my favorite old classics to make these days is chicken noodle casserole. I also love its distant relative “tuna noodle casserole,” but some discerning family members refuse to eat it, so therefore I don’t waste my time…
Simple Mexican Ground Beef Casserole
This ground beef casserole is a quick and easy weeknight, family-friendly dinner that marries the flavors of tacos with seven layer dip. And cheese … ALL THE CHEESE! Seems like we can never have enough ways to cook ground beef in our house, especially since I keep a stock pile in the freezer. Tacos with homemade taco seasoning, meatloaf, easy enchiladas—we eat ground beef at least once a week. This particular casserole is kind of like marrying crunchy tacos with a seven layer dip. It only takes fifteen to twenty minutes to sauté onions and garlic with the ground beef, but the resulting savory layers of flavor is worth it—and…
