Sausage and Rice Casserole

This doesn't seem that exciting... but it is really yummy. Great for a weeknight meal!


2 Lipton Chicken Noodle soup mixes (dry) OR 4/5 chicken bouillon cubes
1 cup rice
1 lb. sausage - cooked and drained

Boil 1 cup rice and 6 cups water for 7 minutes. Add soup mix (or bouillon cubes) and sausage.
Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees. Freezes very well. This is a large casserole or 2 small ones.

Cannelloni - Beef, Spinach & Ricotta Filling

This is another winter favourite  of my family and I get them to eat spinach and tomato's with out much fuss!!  It is a recipe that takes  a long time to make but it makes so much you can freeze it the extra.  I also make double the white sauce because I don't like the strong bit the tomato puree can have.  I also use more cheese than they recommend.  You can alter it according to your taste.

Filling
1 tbs Olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
500g Beef mince (I think Americans call this ground beef)
250g packet frozen spinach thawed (I usually use fresh spinach and about a 250g packet as well I just cut it up very thinly).
1/4 cup tomato paste
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1 Egg
1/2 tsp ground oregano
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

White Sauce
There is a white sauce recipe added to this but it is so much work and I really can't taste the difference they way they suggest, they also name it Bachamel Sauce.
1 tbs butter/margarine
1tbs Flour
1 cup milk
1 cut thickened cream
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Tomato Sauce
425g can tomato puree
2 tbs chopped fresh basil
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 tsp sugar
salt, freshly ground black pepper to taste

12 - 15 instant cannelloni tubes
1 cup freshly grated mozzarella
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese


Method

1. preheat oven to 180 C.  Lightly oil large shallow casserole dish. Seth aside.

2. To make beef and spinach filling: Heat oil in frying pan.  Add onion and garlic and stir over low heat until onion is tender.  Add mince and brown well, breaking it up to a fine consistency with a fork as it cooks.  cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Remove from heat.  In a small bowl, mix ricotta, egg, oregano salt and pepper.  Ad to mince mixture; Stir to combine. Set aside.

3. To make White Sauce: Melt butter. Remove from heat and add 1 tablespoon of flour and mix to form a paste.  Mix in a little bit of milk at a time to make sure no lumps form and return to heat to allow to thicken. Add cream and Parmesan cheese. Set aside.

4. To make Tomato Sauce: Place all ingredients in a medium pan; stir to combine.  Bring to the boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

5. Spoon beef and spinach filling into piping bag and fill cannelloni tubes or you could use a teaspoon.  (Expect if you use a teaspoon to get really messy).

6. Pour some white sauce over base of casserole dish and then spoon some 1/2 of the tomato sauce over the white sauce.  Then Place the cannelloni tubes in and add remainder of the white sauce and tomato sauce. 

Put mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese over top and add a bit of paprika if you have. 

7. Bake uncovered for 30 - 35 minutes or until golden brown. 

Breakfast Tater Tot Casserole

Ingredients:
2 pounds of frozen Tater tots
2 cans of cream of mushroom soup
1 pound of cooked breakfast sausage
2 soup cans full of milk
3 or 4 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup salsa
1 dozen eggs

Directions:
Place tater tots, sausage, and cheese in greased 9x13 inch pan. Beat eggs, milk, soup, and salsa, then pour over tater tot stuff. Stir all ingredients around to make sure everything is coated. Cover pan and stick in the refrigerator over night. Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 to 55 minutes or until thoroughly cooked in the middle.

Sausage Egg Casserole

This is an awesome and very easy breakfast casserole! We make it here at the camp and just about everyone loves it!

Ingredients-
2 tubes of crescent rolls
dozen beaten eggs
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 pound of cooked sausage

Directions
Cover the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan with one rolled out tube of the crescent rolls. Bake @ 350 degrees for about 7 min. or until just VERY lightly browned. Place sausage, cheese and eggs over slightly cooked crescent rolls. Cook for about 15 or 20 min. (eggs should be looking almost cooked). Spread other tube of crescent rolls on top of the egg mixture. Cook for about 10 more min. ( top should be golden brown and the egg mixture completely cooked!)

Chicken Stuffing

Ingredients

3 to 4 cups of cut up cooked chicken pieces
2 boxes of stuffing mix
2 cans of cream of chicken soup
2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese

Directions

Prepare stuffing as stated on box. Place prepared stuffing on the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan. In a bowl mix chicken and soups together. Spread soup mixture on top of stuffing. Bake for 25 minutes @ 350 degrees. Pull out of oven and sprinkle cheese on top. Cook for another 5 minutes or so until cheese is melted.

An idea for a change in this meal. I have put cooked mixed vegetables in the soup/chicken mixture. It really adds alot of flavor for me, but my children would rather have the veggies on the side (not in the actual casserole). We REALLY enjoy this recipe with homemade rolls. I will give you that recipe on my next turn!!

Tater Tot Casserole

We have already gotten a request for an easy hamburger meal. Here is the easiest one I could come up with. I sure hope that it is not too easy!

1 pound ground beef or ground turkey (If you like more meat, you could add 1/2 a pound or so. I am cheap so we make due without the extra.)
2 cans of cream of mushroom soup (If you do not like cream of mushroom, cream of chicken works well too.)
1 bag of frozen tater tots

Cook up the meat. Drain the fat. Place meat on the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan. Place the soups in next and stir it around to make sure that all the meat is covered. Smooth the mixture out, so that it is pretty even all around the pan. Next place tater tots in straight rows on top of the meat and soups. (I usually have extra tater tots. I just cook those up seperately and the kids love them.) Bake casserole at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes.

I usually serve this with a side dish of vegetables and some applesauce. My children LOVE this meal.