Mock Pepperoni Pizza Casserole

Is it a pizza or a casserole? It's both. Instead of using the traditional pizza crust, this pizza uses noodles instead. It has all the flavors of a traditional pizza, but not all the time it takes to make the crust. 

You can use your favorite pizza toppings to make it the flavors that your family likes best. 

Ingredients

8 oz. egg noodles or choose your favorite shape pasta
1 lb. ground beef or spicy sausage or a combination of both
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1  (16 oz.) jar pizza sauce or spaghetti sauce
1 (10 oz.) can diced tomatoes and green chilies
1 (4 oz.) can mushroom stems and pieces drained
1 c. mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 c. cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese
Pepperoni slices

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a 13 x 9-inch baking pan.

In a large pot, cook noodles according to package directions. Drain.

In a heavy cast iron skillet, cook the ground beef and/or sausage, onion and garlic over medium heat until the meat is no longer pink. Drain.

Add spaghetti sauce and tomatoes. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes. Stir in the noodles.

Place in prepared baking pan or dish. Top with mushrooms, mozzarella cheese, cheddar cheese, Parmesan cheese and pepperoni.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until heated through and cheeses have melted. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Serves 4.

You can double this recipe if you are feeding a large family.

Spicy Sausage Casserole

Sausage Casserole is a quick and easy dish to make.  Ii is perfect for those days when you don't have time to cook, or you just don't want to make a meal. With a few simple ingredients.  This is a recipe that my mother used to make, and the entire family loved it.

Ingredients

1 envelope dry onion soup mix
1 c. uncooked rice
2 c. water
1/2 tsp. salt
2 lbs. bulk sausage, we use hot, spicy sausage
1 green pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
4 to 6 ribs celery, chopped fine

Directions

In a large pot, mix onion soup mix, rice, and water together. Cook according to the rice package directions until rice is tender and water is absorbed. You may need to add more (hot) water if the rice needs a longer cooking time.

In a heavy cast iron skillet, combine sausage, green pepper, onion, and celery. Crumble up the sausage into small pieces. Stir and fry until the sausage is cooked, and the vegetables are tender. Drain off excess grease.

Add the rice to the meat and mix in.  You can leave the meal in the cast iron skillet if it is ovenproof, or you can transfer the meat and rice to a casserole dish. 

Bake at 350° for 30 minutes.

Cheesy Ham with Vegetables Casserole

If you are wanting a quick and easy meal that your family will love, this recipe is sure to please.  Even people who do not like vegetables will enjoy this meal.  Serve this casserole with a salad and some bread or biscuits, and you have a complete meal. 

Ingredients

1 (10-oz.) pkg. broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots
1 (10.75-oz.) can cheddar cheese soup * See notes below
1/2 c. sour cream
2 c. ham, cut into small cubes
2 c. cooked rice *
1 onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 c. soft bread crumbs
1 tbs. butter, melted

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly spray or grease a 1 1/2 qt. baking dish.

Cook mixed vegetables according to package directions. Vegetables do not have to be cooked all the way through, you just want them al dente and no longer frozen.  Drain. 

Place vegetables in a large bowl. Add the ham, rice, onions, and garlic. Gently mix.

In a small bowl, combine cheddar cheese soup and sour cream. Stir until smooth.

Pour the cheese soup mixture over the mixed vegetables, ham, and rice. Gently stir to combine.

Place bread crumbs in a small bowl. Pour the melted butter over the top and stir to combine.  Sprinkle the bread crumb over the ham and vegetables. 

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until heated through. Serve. During the last 5 minutes of cooking time, you can sprinkle some more cheddar cheese over the top if desired.

Notes

If you don't have a can of cheddar cheese soup, use 1/2 cup milk and 1-cup shredded cheddar cheese.

Instead of rice, you can use 3-cups cooked pasta.

Ground Beef Noodle Casserole

This recipe is so quick and easy to make. With just a few simple ingredients, you can have dinner ready to eat in a short time.  It's comfort food! It gets you out of the kitchen fast, leaving you time to enjoy some relazation before eating.

Ingredients

1 (8 oz.) pkg. egg noodles or any noodles that you like
1 lb. ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 sweet bell pepper, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
2 (15 oz.) cans tomato sauce
1 c. sour cream
3 oz. or 6 Tbs. cream cheese
1/2 c. cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions

Heat oven to 350°. Grease or spray a 13 x 9-inch baking dish or casserole dish.

Fill a large saucepan with water and bring to a boil.  Cook egg noodles according to package directions. Drain

In a large cast iron skillet, over medium high heat, cook the ground beef, onion and green peppers and the beef is no longer pink and the vegetables are tender. Drain off excess grease.

Season the ground beef with salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder. Mix well.

Stir in the tomato sauce. Bring to a bubble. Turn the heat down and simmer for 20 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine sour cream and cream cheese. Mix until smooth.

Layer half of the cooked noodles in the bottom of the prepared casserole dish.   Spread half of the sour cream mixture over the noodles.   Then add half of the ground beef mixture over the top. Repeat the layers of cooked noodles, cream cheese mixture and ground beef. 

Sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese over the top. 

Bake for 25 minutes, or until the cheese melts completely.

Serve and enjoy.

Pizza Casserole 

My kids and I love pizza.  But there are times when I don't want to drive or walk to the grocery store, even though it is only 4 blocks away, to buy a frozen throw-in-the-oven pizza. Sometimes, I just don't have the money to spare when the pizzas are full price.

For days when our favorite pizza is not on sale, or we just want something a little different, this is one of our go-to recipes. This recipe is a based on a pizza, but done with a new twist.

Ingredients                                            

1 lb. ground beef
1 large onion, diced fine
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1 or 2 hot peppers, chopped fine* (optional)
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
1/4 c. Parmesan cheese
1 4 oz. can mushrooms pieces, drained
3 to 4 c. pizza sauce (I use my home-canned sauce)
16 oz. pasta
16 oz. mozzarella cheese sliced
Fresh basil leaves (optional)

Directions

Fill a big pot with water. When the water comes to a boil, stir in your favorite pasta.  It can be macaroni, rotini, or any of the various cool pasta shapes that the stores carry.  Cook the pasta according to package directions or to al-dente.  Drain.

Coat the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish with olive oil. Set the dish aside while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

In a heavy cast iron skillet, cook the ground beef with onions, green peppers, hot peppers and garlic until the beef is browned. Drain off the excess fat.

Stir in Parmesan cheese, mushrooms, and the pizza sauce until well combined.  Cook and stir over medium to high heat until it starts to bubble. Turn the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Place the cooked pasta in the baking dish. Top with 1/2 of the mozzarella cheese. Spoon the beef/sauce mixture over the top and then add the remaining cheese.

Bake at 350° for 30 to 40 minutes.

Top with torn basil leaves if desired. Allow the pizza casserole to sit for 5 minutes before cutting.
 

Pork Chops and Potato Casserole

 This is a quick and easy meal to prepare. It is filling and comfort food, just like my mother used to make.

Ingredients

6 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced thin
1 onion, sliced
salt and pepper
1/2 c. flour
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
6 pork chops
1 Tbs. oil
1/3 c. milk

Directions

Heat oven to 350°. 

Layer the potatoes and onions in a shallow baking dish. Season  the potato layers with salt and pepper.

In a low-sided dish or  pan, add flour, paprika,  oregano, salt and pepper. Reserve 3 tablespoons flour mixture and set aside.

Dredge the pork chops in flour on both sides.

In a heavy cast iron skillet, heat oil.  Fry the pork chops to brown on each side.  They do not have to be fully cooked, just browned.

Place the pork chops on top of the potatoes. 

Add enough oil to make 3 tablespoon oil in the skillet that you fried the pork chops in. Whisk the 3 tablespoons flour mixture that you reserved into the skillet. Whisk for a minute or two to remove the flour taste.

Gradually pour the milk into the flour mixture. Make sure to scrap the bottom of the skillet to get the flavorful bits stuck on the bottom.  Bring to a simmer.

Pour the milk mixture over the potatoes and pork chops.

Cover and bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.  

Serve with steamed carrots and buttermilk biscuits.

Notes:

Add some shredded cheese as you layer the potatoes for a cheesy flavor.

Mexican Rice Casserole

 Merry Christmas from Rejoice Treasures to you and your family!  May you be richly blessed and have peace in your heart. God has everything under control, no matter what is going on in the world.

Thank you for being with us for over a year and checking out our recipes! 

This recipe mixes up and cooks in one skillet. My family loves the Mexican or Southwestern flavors, so this is one of our favorite meals to cook.

Ingredients

1 lb. ground beef

1 onion, diced
1 sweet bell pepper, chopped
1 jalapeño pepper, chopped

2 Tbs. taco seasoning

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 c. white rice

1 1/2 c. beef broth

1 (15-oz.) can whole kernel corn

1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce

1/2 c. salsa
salt and pepper to taste

1 c. shredded cheddar cheese or pepper jack cheese

Directions

In a heavy cast iron skillet, over medium high heat, cook the ground beef, onion, sweet bell pepper and jalapeño pepper together until the beef is no longer pink. Drain off excess fat. 

Stir in taco seasoning and garlic powder.  

Add the rice, beef broth, whole kernel corn, tomato sauce, and salsa.

Bring mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally. Cover and reduce heat. Simmer for 18 to 20 minutes, or until rice is tender. Stir the mixture occasionally to keep the rice from sticking on the bottom and burning. 

Season with salt and pepper as needed.

Sprinkle the cheese over the top. Cover with a lid and cook for another 2-3 minutes until the cheese melts.

Serve and enjoy!

 

Chicken Casserole

 With cooler weather,  our family likes to settle down and eat comfort food. This chicken casserole is one of our favorites to make. It is so easy to put together, especially if you have left over chicken. 

Ingredients

2 c. egg noodles, cooked
2 to 3 c. chicken, cooked and shredded
1 onion, chopped
1 sweet bell pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 c. corn, frozen
1 c. whole milk
2 (10 oz.) cans cream of chicken soup
1 c. (4 oz.) cheddar cheese, shredded 
8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/4 tsp. onion powder
salt and pepper to taste
3 c.  stuffing mix, crushed or Ritz crackers
5 Tbs. butter, melted

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly spray or grease a 9 x 13-inch baking pan.

In a large bowl, combine egg noodles, chicken, onion, sweet bell pepper, garlic, cream cheese, corn, milk, cream of chicken soup, cheddar cheese and bacon.  

Season with onion powder and salt and pepper to taste. Spread in prepared baking pan. 

Combine the stuffing mix with the butter.  Sprinkle over the top of the chicken mixture.

Place the baking pan in the oven and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the cheese is melted, and the dish is heated through.

Notes

You can use canned corn. Just be sure to drain the liquid out of the can.

Ritz crackers or panko bread crumbs can be used instead of stuffing mix.

If you want to reduce some calories, use 3/4 cup French fried onions in place of the stuffing and butter.

 Cheesy Taco Beef Casserole

This is a quick and easy meal, perfect for the times when you don't want to spend much time in the kitchen but want a comforting meal to share with your family. 

Ingredients

1 lb. ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 sweet bell pepper, chopped
1 jalepeno pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (15 oz.) can spicy chili beans or black beans
1 c. salsa or picante sauce
1 (10 oz. ) can diced tomatoes and green chilies, like Rotel
2 Tbs. taco seasoning or 1 package taco seasoning
salt and pepper to taste if needed
1 (10.5 oz) cream of mushroom soup
1 (9 3/4 oz)pkg. nacho flavored tortilla chips, or plain
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1 c. pepper jack cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°.  Lightly grease a 2.5 qt casserole dish.

In a heavy cast iron skillet, cook ground beef, onion, sweet bell pepper, jalapeño pepper and garlic. Cook and crumble the beef until the meat is no longer pink.  Drain.

Stir in black beans, salsa, and diced tomatoes and green chilies, taco seasoning blend.  Add salt and pepper if needed.

Layer half of the nacho flavored tortilla chips in the bottom of the prepared casserole dish.  Layer half of the meat mixture over the chips. Then add half a can of soup over the top of the meat.  Smoothing it out as good as you can. Or you can just add it by the teaspoonfuls over the top. Next, sprinkle half of the cheddar cheese and pepper jack cheese over the soup.

Repeat the layers. 

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until thoroughly heated and the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Note:

Some recipes say to drain and rinse the black beans, but we do not. The juice adds flavor to the dish. 

You can easily make your own taco seasoning. Check out our recipe for Taco Seasoning Blend.

Cheesy Beef and Macaroni

Cheesy Beef and Macaroni One Dish Meal

Ground beef, pasta, and cheese is a comforting meal to settle down to and enjoy with your family. It is quick and easy to put together. It cooks all in one skillet, saving you of having to wash extra dishes.

Ingredients

1 lb. ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 sweet bell pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 c. chopped carrots (optional)
1 Tbs. steak spice seasoning (your favorite)
1/2 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. Chili powder
1 (8 oz.) can mushrooms, drained
1 (28 oz.) can tomatoes with green chilies, diced
1 c. water
1 (10 1/2 oz.) can cream of mushroom soup
1 Tbs. Dijon mustard
salt and pepper to taste
2 c. macaroni
2 c. cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions

In a large cast iron skillet or Dutch oven, brown the ground beef, onion, green peppers and carrots. Cook until the ground beef is no longer pink. Drain off excess grease.

Stir in garlic, steak seasoning, Worcestershire, chili powder, cream of mushroom soup, tomatoes, water, and mustard. Stir well.  Bring the mixture to a simmer.

Add the pasta, and bring to a bubble.  Cover and cook over medium heat, until the pasta is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed.  This takes around 8 to 10 minutes. Taste.  Season with salt and pepper if desired.

Sprinkle cheddar cheese over the top. Cover and cook for 1 minute, or until the cheese is melted. 

Serve and enjoy.

Ground Beef, Peppers, and Rice Skillet Meal

Growing up, my mother made stuffed peppers throughout the late summer and fall months.  I loved eating the meat and rice inside the pepper, but not the pepper itself.  If you have little ones like this, chop up the peppers and put it in with the meat. Same great flavor and a lot less waste. 

It is safe to note that the peppers that I didn't eat when I was younger, never went to waste. My mother loved peppers, so she happily ate mine.

Ingredients

3/4 c. long grain rice
1 lb. ground beef
2 sweet peppers, chopped
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 c. long grain rice
2 ( 14oz) can. diced tomatoes with chilies or jalepenos
2 c. beef broth or stock **
2 Tbs. tomato paste
1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 c. shredded cheese

Directions

In a large cast iron skillet or Dutch oven, combine beef, peppers, and onion.  Cook until the meat is browned and the vegetables are tender. Drain off excess grease.

Stir in rice, diced tomatoes, beef broth or stock, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, and  Italian seasoning.  Add salt and pepper to taste. Bring the mixture to a boil.

Reduce heat and cover the skillet or Dutch oven with a lid.  Cook for about 18 to 20 minutes or until the rice is tender and done, stirring occasionally.

Top with shredded cheese. Cover and let cheese melt over low heat.  Serve and enjoy!

Notes:

Instead of beef broth or stock, add 2 cubes or teaspoons beef bouillon to hot water. 

 

Chicken And Rice Casserole

Growing up, we didn’t have a lot of money coming in. My mother knew how to make satisfying meals that didn’t cost a lot. She made meals from ingredients she had on hand, and they were quick and easy to do. This is her version of Chicken Rice Casserole.

Ingredients

2 c. uncooked white rice
1 onion, chopped
2 c. milk
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup or cream of celery soup
1 package dry onion soup mix, divided
1 (3 lb.) chicken, disjointed
1 c. water

Directions

Preheat oven to 325°.  Grease or spray a large casserole dish or a 9 x 13-inch pan.

Put minute rice and chopped onions in the prepared casserole dish or a 9″x13″ pan.

In a small saucepan, heat the milk, cream of mushroom soup, cream of chicken soup and half a package of the dry onion soup mix. When warmed and smooth, pour over the rice.

Place chicken pieces on top of the rice and soup mixture.

Pour water into the casserole dish. Sprinkle the remaining dry onion soup mix over the top. 

Cover with foil or a lid.  Bake at 325° for 2 1/2 hours to 3 hours, or until the chicken is fully cooked, and the rice is tender.

Notes

Sprinkle some grated cheese over the top.

You can add vegetables like broccoli, carrots, or corn. They can be layered over the top of the rice, or mixed in with the rice.

This meal can go in the oven at around 180° and bake for most of the day. I will assemble the chicken rice casserole in the morning before I start my work from home job. Place it in the oven where it bakes for 8 to 10 hours, depending on how many hours I have scheduled to work or if I just need to relax after taking calls.This can also be made in the crock pot.

Creamy Corn in Casserole

 

Corn is one of our favorite vegetables. It is sweet and juicy.  This recipe is a great side dish to any meal. It takes no time at all to put together and place in the oven to bake.

Ingredients

1 (10 oz. ) can cream style corn
1 (12 oz.) can whole kernel corn
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, diced
2 pimentos, chopped (optionalZ)
2/3 c. milk
1 egg, well beaten
1 c. cracker crumbs
1 c. cheese, grated. American or sharp cheddar or pepperjack
1/4 c. melted butter
2 Tbs. sugar
1/8 tsp. red pepper
salt, and pepper to taste

Directions

Set oven to 350°. Grease a 2-uart casserole dish.

In a bowl, combine, cream style corn, whole kernel corn, onion, bell pepper, pimentos, milk, egg, cracker crumbs, cheese, butter, sugar, and red pepper.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Bake for 60 minutes or until lightly set and it registers 165° in the middle. Serve and enjoy.

Broccoli and Ham Casserole

Ham with broccoli is an easy casserole dish to put together.  If you work and don't have time to cook much, then this recipe will help you out with that. Your family will love it and request it often.  

Ingredients

4 Tbs. butter, divided
1 onion, diced
1 sweet bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, diced
1 sweet bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbs. flour
2 c. milk
3/4 lb. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
3 c. broccoli, fresh or frozen
2 c. cooked ham, cubed
1/2 c. black olives
1 can mushrooms, drained
salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 c. seasoned stuffing cubes, divided

Directions

Preheat oven to 325°. Lightly spray a 13 x 9-inch baking dish.

Cook the broccoli according to package directions. Drain. Set aside.

In a saucepan, melt 3 tablespoons butter. Sauté onion, and sweet bell pepper until tender. Add garlic and sauté for a minute.

Stir in flour, mixing thoroughly.  Gradually pour in the milk, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil. Cook and stir until thickened, about 2 minutes. Turn heat to low.

Add the cheese, stirring until the cheese is melted.

Add the broccoli, ham, black olives, mushrooms and 1-cup stuffing mix to the cheese mixture. Stir to combine. 

Transfer to a 2-quart baking dish. 

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a saucepan. Add 1/2 c. stuffing mix and toss to coat. Sprinkle around the edge of the casserole.

Bake uncovered for25 to 30 minutes.

Western Hospitality Casserole

An easy recipe that is filling and delicious. It is comfort food that your family will love. 

Instead of buying already cut up beef stew meat, just buy a roast and cut it up yourself. You can save a lot of money by doing this. This recipe can be doubled to serve at least 12 people.  It can also be frozen, before you add the cheese, so you can serve it later. Just defrost and then bake.

Ingredients

1/3 c. flour
1 tsp salt
2 lbs. beef roast or beef stew meat 
1 Tbs. c. oil
2 garlic cloves
6 Tbs. tomato paste
2 c. beef bouillon or dry red wine
1/2 tsp. thyme
1 bay leaves 1
1 (4 oz.) can mushrooms 
1 (4 oz.) pkg or 2 c. uncooked egg noodles
1 1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

Directions

Combine flour and salt in a shallow bowl or pan. Cut beef roast into 1-inch cubes.

Dredge the beef cubes in the flour and salt mixture, shaking off the excess.

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat.  Carefully add the meat and cook the meat until browned, flipping them over to brown all sides.

Add the garlic, tomato paste, beef bouillon, thyme, and bay leaves.  Cover. Simmer for 90 minutes or until beef is tender. 

Remove bay leaves.  Stir in mushrooms.  

Cook noodles according to pkg directions.  Drain. Add noodles to the beef mixture.

If your Dutch oven is oven safe, bake the beef mixture for 1 hour. However, you can also pour the meat and noodle mixture into a 12 x 8-inch pan. Cover with foil or a lid.

Bake for 1 hour.   Uncover and sprinkle the cheese evenly over the top. Bake for another15 minutes.

Notes:

You can replace 2/3 cup of the beef bouillon with dry red wine. Do not use cooking wine because that is too salty. Use the wine that you like to drink for a great flavor.

Mahnomen Casserole

My family loves the taste of wild rice. This is an easy dish that is easy to prepare. It combines ground beef, wild rice and vegetables.  It's a great way to use up some of those extra fresh vegetables from the garden.

Ingredients

1 c. wild rice
1 lb. ground beef
1 onion, diced fine
2 to 3 ribs of celery, chopped fine
1 green bell pepper, diced fine
1 quart tomatoes
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°.

Cook wild rice according to directions on the package.

In a heavy cast iron skillet, brown the ground beef, onion, celery,  and green bell pepper.  Cook until the ground beef is no longer pink and the vegetables are tender. Drain off excess fat.

Add the tomatoes and cooked wild rice.  Stir until combined.

Bake for 30 minutes. If you have an ovenproof cast iron skillet or skillet, you can use those to bake this meal in, otherwise you can use a casserole dish instead.

Beef Cheese Casserole

Fall is a great time to start using the oven again. Beef Cheese Casserole has the basic ingredients of lasagna, but instead it uses egg noodles. This meal is sure to satisfy, especially when served with a salad and Garlic bread.

Ingredients

8 oz. (4 cups) egg noodles, uncooked
1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
1 onion chopped
2 (8 oz.) cans tomato sauce or marinara sauce
1 c. cottage cheese
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese
1 (8 oz.) pkg cream cheese
1/4 c. sour cream
1 sweet bell pepper, chopped

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease or spray a 3-quart casserole dish. 

Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Add 1/2 to 1 tsp. salt.  Cook noodles according to package directions.  Drain.

In a large cast iron skillet, combine, ground beef, and onion.  Cook until the beef is no longer pink, breaking it up into small pieces.

Add salt, pepper to taste, and tomato sauce. Bring to a simmer and allow to slowly simmer while you mix the other ingredients.

In a medium bowl, combine cottage cheese, cream cheese, sour cream and sweet bell pepper.  Mix thoroughly until well blended.

Place half the noodles into a prepared 3-quart casserole dish. Pour the cheese mixture over the top and then add the rest of the noodles.  Pour meat mixture evenly over the top.

Bake for 30 minutes. 

Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Skillet Zucchini Beef One Dish Meal

Zucchini, onions, peppers, and garlic picked fresh from the garden. Add some ground beef, and you have a great one dish meal.

You can also use fresh tomatoes and homemade salsa as well.

Ingredients

1 lb. ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 sweet bell pepper, chopped
2 to 3 garlic cloves
3 medium zucchini, cut into bite size pieces
1 (10 oz.) can diced tomatoes or salsa, or Mexican style diced tomatoes with green chilies
1 c. frozen corn
1 Tbs. tomato paste
3 tsp. chili powder
3 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. creole seasoning
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 c. uncooked instant rice
1/3 c or more beef broth
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

in a large cast iron skillet, cook the beef, onion, pepper, and garlic over medium high heat. Cook until the beef is no longer pink and the vegetables are tender.  Drain off excess grease.

Add zucchini, tomatoes, corn, tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, crushed red pepper flakes, uncooked rice, and beef broth.  Season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cover. Simmer until the rice is tender and the zucchini is cooked. This takes around 10 to 15 minutes.  Check occasionally and add more beef broth or tomato juice if it is low on liquid.

Chicken Sausage Pepper Orzo Dish

Chicken, sausage, sweet bell peppers, onions, and orzo. This is a one pot dish that is simple and easy to make. It is so delicious. It is especially good when you use the peppers, and onions from your garden.

Ingredients

1 Tbs. olive oil
1  lb  boneless chicken thighs, or 2 breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
3 Italian sausages, spicy or sweet, cut into bite size pieces
1 (29 oz.) can diced tomatoes
2 to 3 sweet bell pepper, diced
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic
3 c. or chicken broth
1 Tbs. tomato paste
2 Tbs. Italian blend seasoning
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 1/2 Tbs. parsley
salt and pepper to taste
2 tsp. sugar
1 1/2 c. uncooked orzo
shredded Parmesan cheese
4 Tbs. ricotta cheese (optional)

Directions

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large pot, over medium high heat.   Add chicken. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Cook and stir until chicken begins to turn opaque.  About 1 to 2 minutes.   

Add the Italian sausages.  Cook and stir until the sausages are browned.

Add peppers, onion,  and garlic. Cook and stir until the onion is translucent.

Stir in the tomato paste, chicken broth, diced tomatoes, Italian blend seasoning, red pepper flakes, parsley, and sugar.  Bring the liquid to a simmer.  Stir in the orzo.  

Reduce heat to medium and cook until the orzo is almost tender and most of the liquid is absorbed.  It can take about 10 to 12 minutes. Stir occasionally to keep the food from sticking on the bottom of the pot. Add salt and pepper to taste, if needed.

Remove from heat.  Stir in the Parmesan cheese. Serve with a dollop of ricotta cheese.

Taco Pasta Casserole

 

If you like tacos and pasta, then this dish is sure to be a winner at your house. It combines the great flavor of tacos, pasta, and ground beef. It is comfort food.   Best of all, you don't have to spend all day in the kitchen cooking.

Ingredients

1 lb. ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 sweet pepper, chopped
1 hot pepper, chopped (optional)
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 c, pasta elbow, shells, or fun shapes
1/4 c. taco seasoning  or see below for notes
2 c. water
2/3 c. tomato sauce
1/3 c. salsa
1 c. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions

In a large cast iron skillet, brown ground beef, onions, and garlic until the beef is no longer pink and the onions are tender. 

Stir in pasta, taco seasoning, water, and tomato sauce.  

Reduce heat to medium. Cover the skillet with a lid and cook 7 to 10 minutes, or until the pasta is done.  Stir occasionally to keep it from sticking to the bottom of the skillet.

Stir in cheese. Serve. 

If you don't have taco seasoning, you can easily add these ingredients to the dish instead. Mix the ingredients in a bowl and use as much as you need for flavor.

2 Tbs. chili powder
1 1/2 Tbs. cumin
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional)