Sweet potato and butternut squash casserole (or dessert)

This is more of a pie filling than a side dish.  It is easy to prepare ahead of time and bake when you are ready.  I make it for holidays a lot.

Cut a butternut squash, lengthwise, and scoop out the seeds.  Place it cut side down in a pan with about an inch of water.

Peel 1-2 large sweet potatoes, cut into chunks and place in another pan.

Bake 400 deg, about 45 mins for the squash and 30 mins for the sweet potatoes.

Scoop the inside of the squash out into a bowl.  Add the sweet potato and smash all of it together with a potato masher or fork.

Add 1/2 c. sugar, 1 1/2 c.  milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 2 T flour, 2 eggs, 3 T melted butter, sprinkle of cinnamon and mix well.  (I have made this and forgotten the eggs and it is fine, just not as fluffy)

Bake at 425 for 30 mins.

While it is mixing, prepare the topping

Mix about a cup of cracker crumbs (I have used graham crackers and Ritz and both are good), 1/3 c. brown sugar,  and 3 T. melted butter

Add the topping and bake another 15 mins.

Corn Dog Casserole

So this isn't the healthiest recipe that I make but its a favorite.

Corn Dog Casserole

I make it just like the recipe except I don't add celery, sage or black pepper. 

This is another one that I forgot to take pictures of so I will add one later.

BBQ Beef/Turkey Casserole

I found a recipe similar to this and modified it so many times that it doesn't resemble the original recipe at all anymore.  I think I found the original recipe on a budget website.  Its a great recipe to make ahead and I always freeze half of it (without the corn bread on top).  The original recipe used ground beef, but I always use turkey.  It also had 2 lbs of ground meat but I've made it with 1 or 2 and I think 1 lb is plenty.

2 lbs ground beef or turkey
large onion diced
sm. can of corn
3/4-1 cup BBQ sauce
small can or half a bag of kidney beans-dried beans need to be soaked or boiled first
14.5 oz diced tomatoes-drain partially
1/2 can V8
2 cups shredded cheese
2 packages corn bread mix

brown me atand drain
cook onion until soft
add corn, tomatoes and beans and add to meat
add BBQ sauce and V8
(can also add garlic and worst. sauce)

spread into pan and sprinkle cheese on top

prepare corn bread mix according to box and spread on top

bake 400 deg for 20-25 mins

Before the cornbread

Baked, with cornbread on top



William Penn Pasta

This is a copycat recipe from the place that we're eating at Magic Kingdom, Liberty Tree Tavern.  Its called William Penn Pasta.  Jason asked me who William Penn was.  He obviously didn't grow up in PA, like me.  :-) 

Here's the recipe: http://allears.net/din/recipes/rec_wpp.htm

The recipe for the pink sauce seems to be for a bulk recipe.  I used half a jar of tomato sauce, 1 clove of garlic, grated, and about a cup of milk with 1-2 tablespoons of cornstarch (in place of heavy cream). It didn't get pink, but it was a creamier red sauce.

All of the ingredients separately: 

All mixed together:

3/5/12



Chicken-Bacon Bowtie Bake

Here is the original recipe:  http://www.recipething.com/recipes/show/33797-chicken-bacon-bowtie-bake

And this is how I made it (with my changes)

This recipe uses one chicken breast.  I had a package of two so I'll be making another recipe later this week, that also uses one.  Its called William Penn's Pasta.  Check back for that one.  :-)

Ingredients:
1 large boneless, skinless chicken breast
some kind of seasoning for the chicken
4 slices of turkey bacon
1 pound of bowtie pasta
2 T. flour
2 cups of milk
1 can of condensed cream of chicken soup
1 clove of garlic or 1/2 t garlic salt
1 1/4 cup shredded cheese

Cut a chicken breast into bite sized pieces and cook it in a pan with olive oil and montreal chicken seasoning

While thats cooking, put 4 slices of bacon in the microwave and boil a pot of water for pasta.  The recipe says 1 pound of pasta but I used a little bit less.  I had a box of pasta from Italy and it was 350 g.  (A pound is approx 450 g.)

Mix 2 Tbsp of water with 2 cups of milk.  (I used a container that I could shake). 

In a small pan, pour a can of condensed cream of chicken soup, and grate one clove of garlic.  Add milk and flour mixture and simmer for 2 mins, until thick.  Then stir in 3/4 cup of shredded cheese.  (I used cheddar)

This is everything, ready to be mixed together:

Ready to bake:

One will go into the refridgerator for dinner tonight and the other one will go into the freezer. 

The recipe says: Broil 4 inches from flame for 2-3 mins, or until heated and lightly browned on top.

I will bake it for a few mins, because it will be completely cold, and then broil.

Breakfast Casserole

I use my own version of this recipe: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/mrs-allens-brunch-bake/detail.aspx

The one on allrecipes is a great recipe if you're having a brunch but its way too much for the 4 of us. 

I save all of the ends of our bread in a bag in the freezer for this recipe. 

4 slices bacon

8 slices bread

about 4 Tbsp butter, softened

1 1/2 cups shredded cheese (I use whatever I have in the fridge and I don't measure)

4 eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 cups milk

a handful of spinach

seasoning (I usually use garlic and salt in a grinder)

Microwave bacon

Spread 1 side of each bread slice with butter.

Arrange 4 bread slices buttered side down in the bottom of a squre baking dish.

Layer with the crumbled bacon and half of the cheese

Arrange remaining bread slices over the cheese, buttered sides up.

In a small bowl, mix the eggs, milk, spinach and seasoning and pour evenly over bread slices.

Top with remaining cheese. Cover, and refrigerate 8 hours, or overnight.

Bake at 325 for about 45 mins.  (Until eggs are set)