Thursday, April 29, 2010

Some yummy casserole recipes and cheesecake too

I've had a busy couple of weeks trying to get my Baltimore Album Quilt completed (hopefully only one more week to go) so decided to prepare a few casseroles to graze on so that I wouldn't have to stop and cook.  Thought I'd share the recipes because they're some of our favorites. 

Here are the recipes for the dishes I made:  Popover Chicken, Spaghetti Pie, Boned Chicken Casserole, and one dessert too - Cheesecake.

Popover Chicken
Boneless pieces of 1 cooked chicken (I use rotisserie chicken)
1 can cream of celery soup
1/2 can milk or fat free half & half
Vegetables of choice such as, sauted onion, celery, carrot, peas (pot pie type vegetables - maybe even sliced water chestnuts for crunch)
Popover batter
3 eggs, well beaten
1 TB oil
1 ½ cup flour
1 ½ cup milk
1 tsp salt
Put meat, soup, milk, & vegetables in the bottom of a sprayed 9 x 13” pan. Mix eggs, oil, milk, flour, & salt until smooth. Pour over chicken mixture (it makes a popover topping). Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.












Spaghetti Pie
2 cups cooked spaghetti
2 eggs (egg substitute can be used)
¼ cup Parmesan cheese (I use Kraft shredded Parm)
½ cup mushrooms (fresh or canned)
Optional – other fresh vegetables can be added, such as broccoli, asparagus, peppers, onions, etc.
Italian sausage
1 cup cottage cheese (low fat can be used)
1 cup spaghetti sauce
½ cup grated, part-skim mozzarella cheese
Mix spaghetti, eggs, and Parmesan cheese. Spread in the bottom and up sides of large greased pie or quiche pan. Layer the following on top of this crust: vegetables, Italian sausage, then cottage cheese, spaghetti sauce, and cheese. Bake at 350 degrees, uncovered, for about ½ hour or until cheese is golden and pie is bubbling. Faster than lasagna and really good.





Boned Chicken Casserole
2 flat cans boned chicken or turkey (I often substitute rotisserie chicken instead)
1/3 cup melted margarine (I use Smart Balance)
1 cup uncooked rice cooked according to package directions or 1 cup cooked pasta such as elbows
1 (4 oz) can mushrooms
4 oz baby peas (optional)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can evaporated skim milk or 1 cup fat free half and half
2 TB slivered almonds
Mix melted margarine, chicken, soup, milk, vegetables, and rice or pasta and mix well. Pour into sprayed 9” baking dish. Sprinkle slivered almonds on top and place ina 325 degree oven for 30-45 minutes until browned on top.  Serves 6.
My version is low fat but could also use regular evaporated milk or half and half.

Very rich tasting and quick to prepare.










I have to share a story about the Boned Chicken Casserole recipe and the Almond Cheesecake below.  Many years ago a friend of mine and her husband lived with me for awhile when he went to culinary school.  I would come home from work in the evening to the great smells of some of the dishes he had prepared.  He was such a good cook!  And it was such a treat to have someone else cook for me.  These are two of his recipes that I saved and have used over the years because we liked them so much.

Almond Cheesecake-crustless
2 8 oz pkgs. low fat cream cheese
½ tsp almond extract
3 eggs or egg substitute to equal 3 eggs
2/3 cups sugar
Topping
1 cup low fat sour cream
3 TB sugar
½ tsp vanilla
½ tsp almond extract
Beat first four ingredients until thick. Put in a 9” sprayed pie plate and bake for 25-35 minutes at 350 degrees until firm. Cool 10 minutes. Meanwhile beat topping ingredients together. Pour over the top of the cheesecake and bake another 10 minutes. Can sprinkle sliced almonds on top if desired. I prefer it as is, but some of my family like it with a dollop of blueberry, cherry, or strawberry pie filling. Great no matter how you serve it.

1 comment:

Rebecca said...

Hey there! I can't wait to see your Baltimore Album Quilt! :) Your recipes look yummy, will have to try them!