Chicken Spaghetti Casserole

Okay, before you see the word casserole and just write this off, I am going to tell you it's good. This was one of my favorite meals growing up and I still think it is a great comfort food. It's spaghetti in a creamy white sauce with green peppers. Now that's not so scary is it? The recipe originally called for a large chicken but I just use boneless, skinless chicken breast. You could also use a rotisserie chicken to speed things up. It can be made a day ahead and refrigerated until you are ready to cook it. Just make sure to increase the cooking time a little bit. Sometimes to change things up a bit I use diced green chilies in place of the green peppers.

Chicken Spaghetti Casserole

1- 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil

2 or 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

10 tbsp. butter, divided

1 c. chopped celery (I leave this out because my husband doesn't like it )

2 cans of cream of chicken soup

2 1/2 cups milk (I usually use 2 percent for this, not skim)

12 oz. spaghetti noodles, broken into 2 in pieces

1/2 c. chopped onion

1/2 c. chopped green pepper

5 tbsp. flour

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1 cup cheddar cheese for top of casserole (optional)

salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste (for seasoning chicken)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Season chicken with salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste. Cook chicken breasts in 1-1 1/2 tbsp. olive oil until browned and cooked through. Let cool and shred or cut into bite sized pieces. Set aside.

Meanwhile, break spaghetti into 2 inch pieces and cook according to package directions.

Saute onion, celery and green pepper in 5 tbsp. butter until soft. Add 2 cans of Cream of Chicken soup.

In a separate pan make a white sauce. Melt remaining 5 tbsp. butter. Whisk in flour and milk until smooth. Add salt and pepper. Cook about 7-10 minutes until slightly thickened. Add to vegetable mixture. Add chicken and spaghetti. Mix well to combine. Pour into a greased 9 x 13 pan and bake 25-30 minutes at 350 degrees until bubbly.

*Pioneer Woman has a similar recipe on her website (I'll have to try it). She uses cream of mushroom soup so I'm sure you could use that in place of the cream of chicken with good results.*

Lime Pineapple Delight

I don't have a picture but I'll be making it for Easter so i'll post one then. It's just a creamy jello salad with crushed pineapple. I have used strawberry jello for this recipe also and it's really good. I put it in a 9 x 13 pan and you can cut it into squares for serving.

Lime Pineapple Delight

1 large package lime jello
1 bag miniature marshmallows
1 8oz. carton cool whip
3 1/2 cups boiling water
1 pint sour cream
1 large can crushed pineapple, undrained

Dissolve jello in boiling water. Add marshmallows and stir until they are just little bits. Cool in fridge. With a beater, add sour cream to jello mixture. Chill until almost set. Add Cool Whip and pineapple. Chill until firmly set. This whole process takes probably 4-5 hours.

Breakfast Tater Tot Casserole

My Mom made this casserole when we had a brunch at her house a few weeks ago. It was delicious. It would be great on Christmas morning because you make it the night before. I think it would be good with some chopped green pepper added also.

Breakfast Casserole

1 pkg. tater tots (small)
8 eggs
2 cups half and half or evaporated milk
1 lb. bulk sausage
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
1 tsp. dry mustard
1 tsp. salt
1/4 c. chopped onion, optional

Place a layer of tater tots in the bottom or a large cake pan or casserole dish. Brown and crumble sausage, drain. Mix together eggs, milk, mustard and salt, beat well. Add sausage to egg mixture and pour over tater tots. Sprinkle cheddar cheese on top. Let casserole refrigerate overnight. Bake in the morning at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Chocolate Luscious or Pistachio Dessert

This is another hit recipe from my Mom. She is such a great cook. I have had this recipe both ways and love the pistachio version. You could actually use any flavor of pudding that you like. We'll just call it pudding dessert to make it easier.


Pudding Dessert

Mix together: 1 cup melted butter
1 cup flour
1/2 cup nuts (I use pecans because that is what I like but walnuts are good too)
Press into the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Let cool.

Mix together: 8 oz. cream cheese
1 cup powdered sugar (sifted)
Gently fold in 6 oz. cool whip. Spread gently on top of crust.


Mix 2 (4 oz.) pkgs. instant pudding according to package directions. *you can use the smaller packages if you like less pudding.* Spread carefully over cream cheese layer.

Top with: 6 oz. cool whip
1/2 cup chopped nuts
chocolate curls or mini chocolate chips, if desired

Refrigerate until firm. Best served cold.

Mississippi Mud Cake

My Dad and brother made this cake once, with the addition of canned cherry pie filling. It sold for $40 (like 20 years ago) at a scout auction. It is easy because it uses a boxed brownie mix and most of the other things you would have already in your pantry. Another one of my Mom's great recipes.

Misssissippi Mud Cake

4 eggs
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 tsp. vanilla
1 pkg. brownie mix *I like Betty Crocker or Duncan Hines)
2 cups chopped nuts *I use pecans)
1 c. flaked coconut
1 jar marshmallow creme

In a large bowl, beat eggs until foamy. Add melted butter and mix well. Add brownie mix and blend well. Stir in vanilla, nuts and coconut. Pour into prepared 9x 13 pan. Bake in 350 degree oven for 25-30 minutes or until edges separate from pan. Don't overcook. While hot, carefully spread marshmallow creme on top. Cool one hour and frost with chocolate icing

Chocolate icing

1 lb. powdered sugar, sifted
1/2 c butter
6 tbsp evaporated milk
4 tbsp cocoa

Sift powdered sugar into medium bowl. In small saucepan, combine butter, evaporated milk and cocoa. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Immeadiately add to powdered sugar. Beat until smooth.

*If you wanted to add the canned cherries, add them after cooling before the chocolate frosting.*

Sour Cream Burritos

This is another delicious recipe of my Mom's. She was and still is an excellent cook and always had a big hot meal on the table. I didn't realize how much work she put into feeding us until I grew up and had a family of my own. This was one of my favorite meals growing up. I haven't made it in awhile just because it makes SO much but this would be great for Father's Day or Cinco de Mayo . It is quite similar to a beef enchilada. The round steak is really tender (make sure and use meat tenderizer) and gets its flavor from garlic and tomatoes. The pinto beans and diced green chilies are a perfect addition, plus a whole lot of yummy, creamy sour cream. Tonight I used smaller tortillas and halved the recipe and made them more like enchiladas. It made 10 enchiladas so you can imagine what they are like with the big tortillas. See the bottom for my notes.

Sour Cream Burritos

from My Mom

1 head lettuce, shredded (optional)

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 large onion, diced

1 1/2 tsp. salt

2 cans 4 1/2 oz. diced green chilies, drained

2 cans 10 1/2 oz. mild enchilada sauce

1 can 15 oz. pinto beans, drained

8-10 burrito size flour tortillas

2 1/2 lbs. round steak or 2 lbs. ground beef

1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes

3 cloves garlic, mashed

2 beef bullion cubes

2 lbs. shredded, mild cheddar cheese

3 8 oz. cartons sour cream

Cut round steak into 1/2 in cubed and slowly brown in oil. Stir in tomatoes , onion, garlic and salt. Simmer for 1 hour. Stir in bullion cubes until dissolved. Mix in chilies and pinto beans. Cover and simmer for another 20 minutes.

Warm enchilada sauce. Dip each tortilla into sauce (very messy). Spoon meat mixure across center of tortilla. Generously top with sour cream. Overlap tortilla edges turning folded side to bottom. Put in casserole dish. Spoon remaining enchilada sauce on top. Sprinkle with cheese. Place in 350 degree oven until sour cream and cheese melt and bubble about 20-30 minutes. Remove from oven. If desired top with shredded lettuce, olives and more sour cream.

*I usually use less sour cream. Maybe 2 containers instead of 3. Also, I usually sprinkle meat tenderizer on the round steak. If you do this omit the salt because it will be too salty if you don't.*

Pistachio Jello Salad

This is one of my favorite jello salads and it's super easy.

Pistachio Jello Salad

1 large 3.9 oz. pkg. pistachio pudding mix

1 8 oz cool whip

1 20 oz. can crushed pineapple, drained

1 cup mini marshmallows

Stir dry pudding mix into cool whip. Stir in pineapple and mini marshmallows. Refrigerate and allow to chill for at least 1 hour.