I can’t say I’ve eaten a lot of pierogis in my life. I should apologize to myself for that because I actually like them a lot. So I grabbed a few packages of pre-made onion pierogis, cooked them up, and some fresh mushrooms and mushroom soup and made this really great pierogi and smoked sausage casserole. Cheesy and creamy, it was perfect for a cool day here in Indianapolis.
Go Meatless
Adding smoke sausage along with fresh mushrooms really makes this casserole even better. You can actually leave out the meat. Me, I love smoked sausage. I make sure to slice it thin to help ensure I get a piece in every bite. You can use kielbasa or Polish sausage, or whatever your favorite is instead if you prefer.
This pierogi and smoked sausage casserole is pretty savory. If you want a little more edge to yours add a pinch or two of cayenne pepper. Or dried red pepper flake, or even smoked paprika.
I grabbed a few packages of onion pierogies, cooked them up, and made this really great pierogi and smoked sausage casserole. Cheesy and creamy, it was perfect for a cool day here in Indianapolis.
Oh sure, I’ve made a traditional casserole before. There’s a reason that recipe has been around for ages. It’s a classic with great flavor. This green bean casserole is something different. Something amazing. Crispy green beans, sure. A creamy cheese sauce, you bet. Red bell peppers, bacon, onion and panko? Fantastic.
Not Grandma’s Bean Casserole
This is soon to become a staple in our household. I was able to grab last-of-the-season fresh beans when I made this green bean casserole. With the season now gone I’ll have to make this using frozen (but not canned!) beans. If you use frozen, defrost them using the package instructions and skip steps #2-#6 below for blanching the fresh beans. That’s it!
Get some good panko bread crumbs. Funny how not too many years ago, you’d never hear about them. Now, you find them in just about any dish that used to use regular old bread crumbs, from meatballs to fried chicken.
This green bean casserole is something different. Something amazing. Crispy green beans, sure. A creamy cheese sauce, you bet. Red bell peppers, bacon, onion and panko? Fantastic.
I’m lucky in that I usually love darn near everything I make. These Mississippi Mud cheesy potatoes are definitely no exception. In fact, love may be an understatement. My wife and I both devoured them. You just can’t beat the tender potatoes, ooey gooey cheese, crunchy smoky bacon, and green onions. It’s a lot like having a loaded baked potato, and yep, you guessed it, I love loaded baked potatoes too.
Spice ‘Em Up
The only possible change (and really, it’s a stretch perhaps) I would make to these Mississippi Mud cheesy potatoes would be to add a roasted jalapeno or two. Actually, that’s not a stretch at all. Or maybe a pinch or two of smoked paprika or chipotle powder. Yeah, I’m going that for sure now! It’s not that this dish NEEDS some spicy kick to it. It’s that I like things with a little heat more that things without it. So why not add just a bit? I figure anything I would add to a bake potato, I can add here too!
I almost always use Blue Plate mayonnaise in the dishes I make. I think it is the best around. If you can’t find it locally you can pick it up online for a fair price.
I was going to change the name of this dish to just ‘spaghetti casserole’ because (before I made it) I thought that calling it Million Dollar Spaghetti was a bit pretentious. Well, as you can tell, I didn’t change the name. That’s because, yeah, Million Dollar Spaghetti is the perfect name for it.
If you close your eyes and take a bite of this spaghetti you’ll almost think you are eating lasagna. Actually, it’s very close in flavor to my mom’s easy lasagna, a recipe I make and devour regularly. Spaghetti sauce, Italian sausage, pasta, a little Italian seasoning and plenty of cheese. What’s not to love?
Great. Until Its Gone.
Million Dollar Spaghetti was a huge hit in our house. We were sad when the last piece disappeared. But not super sad since we knew it won’t be long until we make this again. And again.
Jazz It Up
You can easily change this recipe up to meet your own tastes. Maybe add some fresh mushrooms in when you cook the sausage. Or a few bell peppers. For me, a pinch or two of red pepper flake is always a good idea too. You don’t have to use an expensive jarred spaghetti sauce, either. Good ole Prego (I used Italian Sausage and Garlic) works just great!
I highly recommend that you shred or grate your own cheese at home. Don’t buy the pre-shredded or pre-grated stuff. It has stuff added to it to keep it from sticking together. That ‘stuff’ affects how the cheese melts. Shred it yourself and use the good stuff.
My wife and I really enjoyed the flavors of this super-simple chicken Cordon Bleu casserole. Tender chicken with a bit of ham and crunchy breadcrumb topping. And of course that wonderful Dijon mustard flavor in a creamy cheesy sauce. This is the perfect quick and easy meal for a cool late-winter evening.
Use Thin Chicken Cuts
I prefer to butterfly chicken breasts in just about any recipe where I need them. They cook up more evenly, and a bit quicker. And I like the texture better. I like a big ole thick beef steak, but that’s about the only time I need my meat cut thick. For chicken, I think thinner is better.
Spice It Up
If I’m feeling adventurous the next time I make this chicken Cordon Bleu casserole I might try a little twist or two. Maybe use pepper jack cheese instead of Swiss for a nice kick to the sauce. Or maybe add a pinch or two of cayenne in with the breadcrumbs. Oh, this dish is great as it is, but I hardly ever pass up the opportunity to add some heat.
Tender chicken with a bit of ham, crunchy breadcrumb topping, and of course that wonderful Dijon mustard flavor in a creamy cheesy sauce. This is the perfect quick and easy meal for a cool late-winter evening.
Spray a 9″ x 13″ baking dish with non-stick spray.
Layer chicken in the bottom of the dish.
Top the chicken with the ham sandwich meat and sprinkle with the Swiss cheese.
In a bowl, combine the Panko bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper.
Sprinkle the Panko mixture over the top of the chicken.
Drizzle with the melted butter and bake for 35-40 minutes or until the chicken is done and the Panko has started to brown. Place under the broiler for a minute or two to brown further if desired.
Serve with sauce.
For the sauce
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan.
Whisk in the flour and cook for 3 minutes.
Whisk in the milk and broth.
Continue whisking until the sauce thickens.
Whisk in the mustard, Worcestershire sauce and salt and pepper and serve.
Notes
Substitute a little pepper jack for some of the Swiss for a little kick.
It’s time for an easy side dish. Something I can make quick but still enjoy. Veggies. Cheese. Creamy sauce. Oh, and crunchy French fried onions. This Swiss vegetable medley cooks up in no time and is quite tasty. It’s also easy to change up for your tastes. Skip the French fried onions and use French’s crispy jalapenos instead (Have you tried them? They are fantastic!). Swiss not your thing? Pepper jack cheese is a great kicked-up alternative
Cold Night Perfection
I think this may be my wife’s favorite side dish for a cold night. I have to agree, this Swiss vegetable medley is mighty darned good! There’s lots of goodness in every bite!
All the flavors of pizza in a casserole, made in a slow cooker. There’s plenty of cheese and pepperoni so you can overlook the lack of a crunchy crust. The perfect one-pot meal on a rainy, cool late winter evening. You can make it more ‘your way’ by adding Canadian bacon, mushrooms, different cheeses… whatever you prefer.
Beware Sad Pasta
Be careful to not overcook the pasta. Pasta is not the most slow cooker-friendly item in the world. If you over cook the pasta it will become mushy. Not happy mushy either. So error on the side of caution and serve this slow cooker pizza casserole as soon as the pasta is cooked. It’s sorta like my pizza pasta bake, but with a twist.
All the flavors of pizza in a casserole, made in a slow cooker. There’s plenty of cheese and pepperoni so you can overlook the lack of a crunchy crust.
Fresh corn season continues to wind down here in Indiana. Time for my end-of-summer push to devour as much sweet corn as I can! And what better way to make corn than to add in some spicy Tasso ham and make a spicy Tasso and corn casserole! I so love Tasso ham. So tender, to tasty, and definitely so spicy. I made my own Tasso on my smoker, and it came out fantastic. It was so easy to make!
This creamy corn casserole is sweet and also spicy. I found the original recipe in Louisiana Cookin’, one of my favorite Louisiana-themed magazines. Not only is each issue full of great Creole and Cajun dishes, there are also articles about the food and happenings in the area.
A Truly Special Corn Dish
The original recipe for spicy tasso and corn casserole called for topping the casserole with crushed potato chips. I decided to skip that and just enjoy the great vegetables and spice in this dish. True, adding chips would definitely add a nice crunch. I bet crushed tortilla chips would be outstanding, so feel free to add them if you like! Either way it bakes up delicious!
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Add the corn, pepper, green onion, and tasso and cook 5-8 minutes until the vegetables are soft.
Add the cream cheese and stir until it melts.
Remove from heat and stir in the Cajun seasoning, sour cream, parsley, salt, and cayenne pepper.
Spoon into the baking dish and bake 20 minutes.
Notes
The original recipe called for sprinkling the casserole with crumbled potato chips (2 cups) before baking. I omitted that ingredient to keep the casserole a little lower in carbohydrates. Feel free to add the chips, or Panko breadcrumbs if you like.
This smoked sausage casserole is one of my favorite comfort dishes. It has some of my favorite things in it – smoked sausage, hash browns, and peppers. And cheese. How could it not be good? It’s not fancy. It’s not complicated. I just like it.
You can omit the jalapeno if you want. Or add more. I think this dish needs a little heat. Something to spice it up.
I highly recommend that you shred or grate your own cheese at home. Don’t buy the pre-shredded or pre-grated stuff. It has stuff added to it to keep it from sticking together. That ‘stuff’ affects how the cheese melts. Shred it yourself and use the good stuff.
