Baked Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes

With the delicious and rich taste of the cream cheese, you don't have to use butter in this recipe (unless you just want to). I like a few “lumps” of potatoes in mine, so to make this my own recipe, I add a few diced cooked potatoes to my instant potatoes. You can also add a little cheese on top for visual appeal!!!

Ingredients:

6 cups mashed potatoes (can use instant)
1 8 oz package cream cheese
1 egg
½ cup onion, chopped fine

Directions:

Add cream cheese, egg and onion to hot mashed potatoes. Beat with electric mixture on medium speed until mixture is smooth. Pour into a buttered 2-quart casserole and bake at 350 for 40 minutes. Serves 8.

Pineapple Casserole

The first time I had some of this, I was at a church dinner.  I could not believe this was pineapple.  Let's just say my second helping was just the beginning.

The contrast in texture and flavor is what makes this recipe a success. Easy and quick, this is a great alternative to yams when you have a dinner gathering.

Ingredients:

1 large can chunk pineapple (including juice)
¾ c. sugar
3 tbs. flour
1 c. cheddar cheese (grated)
1 sleeve Town House crackers (crumbled)
1 stick melted butter

Directions:

Place in a 9x9 inch baking dish: first, pineapple, then mix sugar and flour together and sprinkle on top of pineapple. Next put grated cheese, cracker crumbs and melted butter on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until lightly browned an bubbly on top.

Quick Chicken Tetrazzini

Recipe calls for macaroni, but if you want to get fancy you can use the bowtie pasta. Make the recipe your own by customizing some of the ingredients. I like to use angel hair or regular spaghetti. I am not a lover of canned chicken, but I will buy a rotisserie chicken and use what I need for two or three different recipes. Be Creative!!!

Ingredients:

3 cups cooked macaroni
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
12 ounce can of chicken (I like to buy rotisserie chicken an use as needed)
2 cups of milk
1 cup mushrooms
¼ cup pimientos
2 tbs butter
2 tbs flour
1 tsp salt

Directions:

Put alternate layers of macaroni (or spaghetti) and cheese in casserole. Combine chicken, mushrooms and pimientos. Make well in center of macaroni* and fill with chicken mixture. Melt butter, add flour, salt and milk. Pour over mixture and bake at 400 degrees until bubbles. Serves about 6.

*Instead of making a center and filling mixture in, I just spread mine over the casserole and then add the topping.

Oven Baked Porcupines (Meatballs)

A great recipe if you want to make something easy and special to carry out. I think if you make ahead the ground beef mixture, it would probably freeze well.

A side of homemade pintos and collards (or greens of choice) would give this meal a “college education” as grandma used to say. Enjoy!

Mix:

1 lb. Ground beef
½ cup raw rice
½ cup water
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. celery salt
1/8 tsp. garlic salt

Make into balls and put in a 8x8x2 inch baking dish

Mix:

1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce, 1 cup water and 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce.

Pour over meatballs and cover with foil. Bake for 45 minutes, then uncover and bake an additional 15 minutes.

Grits Casserole

Grits are a southern thang!
This is a great make ahead recipe that you can freeze before or after baking.  Do not limit them to just breakfast, but serve for brunch, lunch or dinner.  This dish is great as a side for pork chops, tenderloin, chopped steak or fish.  Yum!

6 cups water
1-1/2 cups grits
1 lb sharp cheese
3 eggs
3 tsps savory salt
2 tsps salt
1 tsp paprika
2 dashes Tabasco sauce
Garlic powder to taste (optional)

Bring water to a boil and add grits.  Stir in the cheese which has been cut into pieces.  Beat eggs and add to grits.  Add butter and all the remaining ingredients, mixing well.  Pour grits into a greased 3-quart casserole dish.  Bake for 1 hour at 350 -375 degrees.  6-8 Servings

Grits may be divided into two smaller casserole dishes for baking or freezing.

Scalloped Sweet Potatoes and Apples

I like the traditional dishes for my Holiday family meals.  Every once in a while I will throw in a different dish. If you want the traditional dish with a different twist, this recipe will surely be a hit.

6 medium sweet potatoes
1/2 cup brown sugar
1-1/2 cups sliced apples
4 tbsp. butter
Salt to taste
1 tsp. mace

Boil potatoes until tender.  Slice in 1/4 inch pieces.  Butter baking dish and place a layer of sweet potatoes in bottom, then a layer of apples.  Sprinkle with sugar, salt and mace.  Dot with butter.  Repeat until dish is filled, having on top layer apples.  Bake in 350 degree oven for 50 minutes.

My Version:

I like to be subtle with my changes in a recipe.  Instead of layering my sweet potatoes alternately with apples, I make mine the traditional way and then add a little bit of diced apples throughout the dish.  I also add bourbon or rum in my sweet potatoes for that extra punch!

Beef-Wine Casserole

Another recipe with “The Secret Sauce”, that is easy to make, has a gourmet taste and perfect for the Fall-Winter season. This is one of those dishes that you make a double batch, and freeze one for later.

1 lb lean stewing beef
½ cup red wine
1 can beef bouillon
1 tsp salt
Black pepper to taste
1 clove garlic, minced
1 medium onion, sliced

¼ cup flour
¼ cup seasoned bread crumbs

 

Combine beef, wine, bouillon, salt, pepper, garlic and onion in a small greased casserole. Mix the flour and bread crumbs and stir into the beef mixture. Bake covered for 3 hours at 300 degrees. Makes 4 servings.

Oyster Pie (Casserole)

This is a recipe that my grandmother used for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Grandma modified hers a little, so I have shared both the original and the modified recipe. Enjoy!

Original Version:

1qt fresh oysters
12 saltines (crumbled)
4 eggs beaten
¼ cup cream
1/8 lb butter melted
Black pepper

Mix together in a casserole and bake at 350 degrees in a preheated oven for 30 minutes.

Grandma's Modified Version:

2- 8 or 12 oz fresh frozen containers Oysters
1 to 2 sleeves crushed saltines
4 eggs beaten
¼ cup can milk
1 stick butter
salt and pepper to tasted
1 can cream mushroom or chicken
½ cup chopped onion

Crush saltines and layer the bottom of casserole dish with one sleeve. Save the other sleeve for the top. Rinse and drain oysters then spread evenly on top of the saltines. Mix together milk, melted butter, eggs and cream of mushroom/chicken, beating until well blended. Sprinkle on top of oysters, leaving a little to pour over the top. Evenly distribute chopped onions and add salt and pepper if desired. Top with remaining saltines. Pour over remaining milk/butter/egg/soup mixture. Add pepper to top. Bake 350 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour.