casserole recipes

Tuna Noodle Casserole Recipe

March 22, 2012

Looking for a fast, cheap, and easy tuna noodle casserole recipe? You are in luck – there are hundreds of tuna casserole recipes tucked in cookbooks and recipe boxes all across the world. The combination of tuna, pasta, vegetables, cheese, a creamy sauce and a crunchy topping are common ingredients in tuna casserole, but the variations are endless.

Here is an easy tuna noodle casserole recipe that I developed over the years with lots of input from my family. I believe it began as the Campbell’s Mushroom Soup recipe, and then just evolved based on the needs of picky eaters and a mom who was trying to find a healthy tuna recipe. This recipe makes four medium sized servings, but if you have company or teenage sons then double it – use a 9 inch by 12 inch lasagna pan.

Ingredients:

2 cups of dry whole wheat macaroni noodles or other short pasta

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cooking onion, diced

2 cans of flaked or chunked tuna, drained

2 cans of low-sodium cream of mushroom soup

1 1/2 cups frozen peas

1 tsp to 1 tbsp freshly ground pepper (depending on your family’s tastes)

1 rounded tbsp Dijon mustard

1 1/2 cups shredded low-fat cheddar cheese

3/4 cups crushed stale crackers

1 tsp dried parsley or chervil

How to Make This Tuna Noodle Casserole Recipe

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Set the pasta to boil in lightly salted water. Add a little extra virgin olive oil to stop the pasta from sticking together. In a lightly greased 2 1/2 quart casserole dish, mix diced onion, tuna, soup, peas, pepper, dijon mustard, and 3/4 cup of the shredded cheese. Add the cooked pasta and mix well. Sprinkle the stale crackers, remaining cheddar cheese and dried parsley over the top of the tuna casserole dish. Place the casserole on a baking sheet and cook for about 30 minutes or until cheese is bubbling. Let it stand for 5 minutes before serving. Add a glass of low fat milk and a salad of mixed green salad for a well-balanced meal.

Tips:

Use flaked or chunked tuna packed in water instead of oil to reduce the fat content
Whole wheat pasta noodles add flavor and fiber to recipes. If you suspect your family will give you a hard time when you introduce whole grains into your cooking, begin by just replacing 1/4 to 1/2 of the amount of pasta with the whole wheat noodles. The next time you cook, add a little more…..then a little more….
Save your stale Ritz crackers, cheddar Goldfish crackers, other soda crackers or breadcrumbs for the topping.
This is a cheap family meal for the end of the week when you are low on groceries, or when you are looking for affordable family dinner recipes. This is a low-cost, high nutrient meal for your family, and the leftovers heat up well in the microwave.
This simple tuna casserole recipe is delicious on its own, but I like to add a little ketchup. Others in my family add mint sauce (ugh) or HP sauce.

Leftover Turkey Pot Pie

October 26, 2011

Our family LOVES Thanksgiving – in fact, we love the autumn in general. Kids are back to school, football season starts, the air is cool and crisp, it’s all good. Of course we have a big turkey dinner with all the trimmings, and there is usually lots let over. After extended family members head home with their “care packages” of leftover turkey, squash, Mom’s great stuffing and Auntie’s delicious desserts, we usually still have turkey leftover.

Using Your Leftover Turkey

Luckily there are many frugal turkey recipes that make great use of leftover turkey, and even some very good inexpensive thanksgiving recipes that can be used for your main holiday dinner. The basics remain the same; turkey and vegetables in a creamy sauce with seasonings and a yummy topping. Some leftover turkey pot pie recipes use crescent rolls or stuffing for toppings, other use biscuits, and still others call for homemade pastry. Pan pies or pot pies are easily made in a casserole or oven-safe glass dish, and turkey leftovers can be transformed into other casserole recipes by mixing rice or cooked pasta into the cream turkey mixture and topping it all with shredded cheddar cheese instead of pastry. Use this recipe as a starting point for your own version of turkey pot pie – happy cooking!

Turkey Pot Pie Recipe Ingredients

2 tablespoons of garlic

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 cup low sodium condensed cream of mushroom soup

2 tbsp zesty Italian salad dressing

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/2 tsp thyme

3 cups mixed frozen vegetables (I use the corn, peas and carrots mix)

1/2 cup cranberries (optional)

1 1/2 cups shredded or bite-sized chopped turkey pieces

1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/2 cup frozen hash browns

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 tin Pillsbury Crescent Rolls, unrolled

Method

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. In a large skillet, brown the onion and garlic in olive oil over medium-high heat. Lower the heat to medium-low and stir in the mushroom soup and salad dressing. Any sort of Italian-style salad dressing will do – this works with the sundried-tomato and the creamy Italian dressing as well. Add the pepper and thyme and vegetables, stirring between additions. Frozen vegetables have enough moisture in them to create a nice creamy base, but if you are using fresh vegetables add 1/4 cup of milk, chicken stock or water to the mixture. Add cranberries if you are using them. My kids don’t like it when I do this but I thought it was a superb addition. Finally, add in your turkey bits, lemon juice and hash browns and heat through. The hash browns stretch this dish a little further; leave them out if you want a creamier turkey pot pie.

At this point you can freeze the turkey pot pie base mixture for later use – it freezes very well. It can be frozen when it is completely put together, but I use the crescent rolls and I find that they don’t freeze well in their uncooked state.

Pour the mixture into a 9 x 13 glass lasagna dish OR a 2 1/2 quart casserole dish. Sprinkle shredded cheese over the mixture, and then top with crescent rolls, stuffing, Bisquick or homemade pastry. Sprinkle with dried parsley or brush with egg white if you would like a glistening top to your leftover turkey pot pie. Bake for about 25 minutes.

This recipe makes 4 to 6 good sized servings of leftover turkey pot pie.

Yogurt and Brown Rice Casserole

May 14, 2011

This recipe is one of my favorites. Not only do I get to use up my leftover chicken and raw vegetables from meals I made earlier in the week, I can also sneak in yogurt and brown rice, two super healthy foods that I want to encourage the kids to eat. This creamy casserole recipe is frugal, it is good for you and just plain yummy. Use whatever leftover vegetables you have on hand, red or yellow peppers, mushrooms, broccoli or cherry tomatoes are just as delicious as the green pepper I usually use. If you are vegetarian, use black or red kidney beans instead of the chicken. If you have leftover ham, by all means, throw it in! Happy cooking.

Ingredients:

2 cups low fat plain yogurt

1/2 cup chopped green pepper

1/4 cup chopped cooking onion

1 heaping teaspoon chopped garlic in oil

1 cup of cooked shredded or cubed chicken, ham, or beans

3 tbsp ketchup

1/2 tsp crushed dried oregano or 1 tbsp fresh finely chopped oregano

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 cup low fat ricotta cheese

1 cup bread crumbs (I use the stale slices of bread if there are any left from my homemade whole wheat bread)

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 tbsp butter, melted

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Use a large bowl and combine yogurt, green pepper or other vegetable, chicken, ketchup, oregano and pepper, then carefully stir in brown rice. Use a large spoon to put half this mixture in the bottom of a 6 cup (1.5L) greased casserole. Cover with ricotta cheese. Spoon the remaining rice/meat mixture over the top. In a small bowl, mix together the bread crumbs, parmesan cheese and butter, and sprinkle over the casserole. Shake dried parsley or snips of fresh parsley over the top. Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes or until it is bubbling and the top is golden brown.

Serve this with a dark green leafy salad and fresh fruit for dessert for a well-rounded family meal.

This recipe makes four generous servings. Each serving has 430 calories, 4 grams of dietary fiber, 44 grams of carbs, 15 grams of fat, and 31 grams of protein when made with green pepper and chicken.

Casserole Recipes

April 22, 2011

Source: mealtime.org

Casserole dishes recipes have been popular since the turn of the century. A great way to use up the odds and ends in your pantry and refrigerator, delicious casserole dishes are also popular with working mothers who rely on freezer dinners to get them through the busy week. Here are two delicious and filling vegetarian casserole recipes to try for your next Meatless Monday, and by all means, experiment with spices and vegetables to find your own perfect casserole recipe.

Black Bean Casserole

Ingredients:

1 cup chopped onion
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 19 ounce can of diced tomatoes OR 1/2 can diced tomatoes and 3/4 cup medium salsa

1 14 oz, can of black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup whole kernel corn
1 tbsp chili powder
3/4 cup cornmeal
1 cup 2% milk
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups shredded old cheddar cheese

Method:

Over medium-high heat,
cook onion in oil in a large saucepan for three minutes.
Add canned tomatoes, beans, corn and chili powder and
reduce heat to low. Simmer for about one hour uncovered until
slightly thickened, and stir it three to four times while cooking.
Pour thickened mixture into a 13 by 9 inch lasagna dish and sprinkle
cornmeal over the top. Use a small bowl to whisk together the milk and
eggs and pour over the cornmeal. Spread shredded cheese over the top.
Bake for about an hour (check at 50 minutes).

This recipe freezes very well, and actually tastes better the following
day. It makes 6 hearty servings. Each serving has 350 calories, 7 grams
of dietary fiber, 14 grams of fat, 42 grams of carbs and 18 grams of protein.

To make this a full meal, serve it with a mixed green salad and whole wheat bread.

Black bean casserole recipes are a great way to introduce vegetarian dishes to non-vegetarians. Chili powder, cheese and beans are a tasty and economical team.

Brown Rice Vegetarian Casserole

Ingredients:

3 cups and 3/4 cup water
1 cup brown rice
1 cup diced celery
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 19 ounce can of diced tomatoes or 1/2 can of tomatoes and 3/4 cup salsa
2/3 cup sliced black olives
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 cup green peas
2/3 cup low fat shredded cheddar cheese

Method:

Boil 3 cups of water in a large pot and cook brown rice according to directions.
(It can take anywhere from 20 minutes to 40 minutes depending on whether you are
using real brown rice or Uncle Ben’s brown rice.)

In a separate medium sized pot, heat oil and sautee celery and onion until they
are tender and translucent. It should take about three to five minutes. Add tomatoes
and salsa (if you are using it) and the olives and bring mixture to a boil. In a small
bowl mix flour and seasonings into 3/4 cup of water. Stir this into the big pot, and cook
until it has thickened (about three to five minutes.) Then add peas.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Pour half the sauce mixture into a 2 L or 8 cup casserole dish. Cover with the cooked brown rice. Cover with the leftover vegetable sauce and sprinkle cheese over the entire dish. Bake for about 25 minutes or until the cheese is bubbling and the casserole is heated through. This recipe makes 6 good sized servings and freezes well. Each serving has 294 calories, 5 grams of dietary fiber and 12 grams of fat. It has 40 grams of carbs and 9 grams of protein.