Baked Potato Casserole

I love twice-baked potatoes but have never actually made them. I found this recipe for potato casserole, which is basically just the easy version of twice-baked potatoes, in casserole-form (with my additions in italics).

Baked Potato Casserole (from simplifysupper.com)

6 Small baking potatoes *I used 3 regular russet potatoes
.75 cup cottage cheese *I don't like cottage cheese, so I did 1/2 cottage cheese, 1/2 cream of chicken soup
1/4 cup sour cream *I used fat free and it worked just fine
1/2 cup cheddar or favorite mixed cheeses *I used cheddar and monterey jack
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon paprika, optional

Scrub potatoes with a brush and pat dry. Pierce with a fork and cover each individual potato with aluminum foil, matte side facing out. Bake at 425 40 to 60 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Allow to cool slightly until they are cool enough to handle. Cut potatoes into 1/2 inch cubes. Then add cottage cheese, sour cream, garlic salt, and paprika. Mix well and add to a greased casserole dish. Add shredded cheese to top. Bake uncovered at 325 for about 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted and golden.


It was delicious! When I showed my sister the recipe, she suggested using cream-of-whatever soup instead of cottage cheese (we both dislike cottage cheese - guess it runs in the pants!). Of course cottage cheese is slightly better for you than creamed soups, so I just decided to mix the 2 on a whim. You could still see the cottage cheese in the casserole but you couldn't taste it. And my husband suggested adding a little more sour cream because "sour cream is good on potatoes." (It was really good just how it was, but more sour cream probably wouldn't hurt either.)

Ruth's Casserole

Named Ruth's Casserole after my great grandmother, Ruth, whose recipe this is. Some people say it's like Shepherd's Pie, my husband called it Poor Man's Casserole, or Peasant Casserole...anyway, seems like a fairly popular recipe, and this is just one variation, but I love it and always have.

1 lb ground beef
3-4 potatoes (I usually use russet, but used red tonight and they worked just great)
1-2 cans green beans (My mom always used 2, I always use 1. I think 1 is plenty)
2 cans tomato soup (or, as discovered tonight, 1 can tomato soup and some milk. Not as flavorful, but still yummy)

Brown the beef while cooking the potatoes, either by boiling or in the microwave. Once they are cooked, peel (optional) and chop potatoes (bite-size chunks, not super small). Combine all ingredients and eat!

Makes 3-5 servings

.:Mexican Chicken Lasagna:.

We had this at Lindy's Pampered Chef party last week, and it was so tasty! I know Sarah has made it herself and loved it. I haven't tried it yet, but plan to soon! Yum!

INGREDIENTS
- 1/4 c. lightly packed Cilantro leaves
- 1 pkg. 8 oz. cream cheese
- 2 c. (8 oz.) shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided
- 1 medium onion (about 2/3 c. chopped)
- 1 can (28 oz.) enchilada sauce
- 12 (6 inch) corn tortillas
- 3 c. diced/shredded cooked chicken

DIRECTIONS
- Microwave cream cheese in microwave 30-45 seconds, or until very soft.
- Add cilantro and 1 1/2 c. cheese; mix.
- Spread 2/3 c. enchilada sauce in bottom of pan. Set aside the rest.
- Dip four tortillas in the enchilada sauce and arrange over sauce in bottom of pan.
- Scoop half of cream cheese mixture over tortillas and spread.
- Put 1 c. of chicken and 1/3 of onion on top.
- Repeat layers one time.
- Pour remaining enchilada sauce over lasagna and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 c. cheese.
- Microwave, covered, on high 12-15 minutes or until center is hot.

Yield: 8 servings

I don't have a covered pan that would go in the microwave, so I will have to adjust this to the oven.

Yum!

.:Crockpot Mexican Breakfast Casserole:.

I haven't actually tried this yet, but it sounds delicious and I plan to put it on the menu for next week! I'm all about crockpot meals! It says it's a breakfast casserole, but obviously it would be good morning or nite! I found it on this awesome website.

CROCKPOT MEXICAN BREAKFAST CASSEROLE
Serves 8

Corn tortillas - 7 or 8
8 eggs
2 c fat free milk
2 c shredded Mexican blend cheese (or just plain cheddar or whatever cheese you want!)
1 can (7 oz.) drained green chilis
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 onion diced
1 c corn
1 c sliced mushrooms (optional)
3/4 t kosher salt
1/2 t black salt
* Optional - add whatever meat you would like
(In my opinion, the onions are optional too!)

- Butter or Pam the inside of your stoneware
- Put a layer of tortillas on the bottom (you may have to tear them to make them fit nicely)
- In a large mixing bowl, combine all of the other ingredients, whisk together
- Pour about 1/2 of the mixture in the crockpot, on top of the tortillas
- Put in another layer of tortillas
- Top with the remaining mixture
- Top with another layer of tortillas
- Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours, or on high for 4-5 hours
- If your crockpot seals well (causing a lot of condensation) uncover 15-20 minutes before serving and cook on high to release the condensation and firm up the top a bit
- You know it is done when the eggs are cooked, edges have begun to brown, and the cheese is slightly crispy

If you don't like corn tortillas, or want to go another route, you can use frozen hashbrowns instead.

YUM!

.:Brown Rice Casserole:.

BROWN RICE CASSEROLE

3 cans beef consomme soup
1 cube butter
2 1/2 c. water
2 c. white rice
1/2 T. oregano
1 chopped onion
canned sliced mushrooms

Bring to a boil for 10 minutes.
Bake covered in 9x13 pan for 1 hour at 350.

.:Breakfast Casserole:.

BREAKFAST CASSEROLE

1 bag shredded hash browns
Squeeze excess water and press into buttered pan. Bake 10-15 minutes. (Not sure on the oven, probably around 350.)

2 c. cubed ham
8 oz. shredded swiss cheese
8 oz. shredded cheddar cheese
15 eggs

Beat eggs and mix together with ham and cheese. Pour over hashbrown crust. Bake for 25 minutes or until knife comes out clean.