Casseroles

Since I'm a southern girl, I love casseroles. I've had some friends asking me lately for some good & easy casseroles to throw together last minute for company or to take to someone. I keep most of these ingredients on hand for a last minute dinner. These recipes aren't low-fat, but they sure are tasty! And please don't ask me silly questions like "What size can of tomatoes?" Cooking is an art. Substitute ingredients. Use more of something you like, less of something you don't. It's hard to screw this stuff up!

Chicken Spaghetti

-Thanks to the Kojie Secrets: Recipes from the Heart Cookbook : )

2 1/2 lb chicken

1 chopped green bell pepper

1 cup chicken broth

1 lb grated cheddar cheese

1 small can mushrooms (Bran won't let me add this)

1 chopped onion

1 can sliced black olives

1 can stewed tomatoes

1 can Rotel

1 small can chiles

1 (12 oz) package spaghetti

1 can mushroom soup

Cook chicken. Boil spaghetti. Brown onion, pepper & mushrooms in butter. Add all ingredients (except chz) to cooked spaghetti & mix well. Add 1/2 of chz & toss. Put in greased casserole & top with remaing chz. Bake at 375 till hot & chz melts.

Mexican Chicken Casserole

-Summer made this for me right after Savh was born, but I think she got it from Lori...love how these get passed around!

2-3 cooked & cubed chicken breast

1 can cream of chicken soup

1/2 cup sour cream

1 can rotel

1 can diced tomatoes

garlic, salt & pepper

corn tortillas

2 cups cheddar cheese

Mix all but cheese & tortillas together.

Layer quartered corn tortillas in casserole dish, then 1/2 of chicken mixture, then 1 cup of cheddar cheese. Repeat all 3 layers. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes.

Ritz Chicken

-My sweet hubby was in the kitchen making this before we even met. It's from a folder of recipes his mom gave him when he went off to college. How cute is that?

3-4 chicken breasts

1 can cream of chicken soup

1/2 small container sour cream

Ritz crackers

Cube, season, & saute chicken. Take chicken out of the pan & add 1/4 cup of water to make some chicken broth in pan. Mix chicken, soup, sour cream & broth together. Crumble 1/2 column of Ritz crackers in bottom of casserole pan, add chicken mixture, & then other 1/2 of crackers on top. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

***Side tip: I buy casserole dishes (like metal ones) at garage sales & ThriftTown for less than a dollar & when I bring friends food, they can keep the dish! It's cheaper than buying throw-away foil pans at the grocery store & "green"!