Potato Casserole! (with NO Cream Soup)

I'm feeling thrilled with life  
because I finally have tweaked all of my recipes 
that use Canned Cream Chicken/Mushroom soups!   

Yay for not having to add in the canned 
"who knows what's in it", 
to my Potato Casserole anymore! 

I pretty much just took the sauce that I made for my Chicken Enchiladas (here) (minus the green chilies) and it makes the YUMMIEST Potato Casserole that is the perfect accompaniment to Baked Ham or Chicken and the leftover casserole makes the BEST hashbrowns for breakfast! 

OH and it's totally frugal as well, 
 because I just take the carcass from our Rotisserie Chickens, boil it for an hour and use that yummyness for the Chicken Broth.  

No Cream Soup Potato Casserole

Boil 8 large potatoes until tender and then run under cold water and then peel and dice them into chunks

2 Tbsp. Melted butter
1 onion finely chopped
(one recipe of sauce below)
1 cup grated cheese of your choice (I use SHARP cheese)
salt and pepper to taste

(sauce)
3 Tbsp. butter
1/3 cup flour
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup sour cream
Melt butter and then add in flour and whisk until well combined
Add in chicken broth and whisk together and boil until thickened (about 5 minutes)
Add in sour cream and stir until smooth.

Mix together potatoes, melted butter and onions.
Salt and Pepper to taste.
Add in white sauce/sour cream mixture and cheese.
Pour mixture over potatoes and stir until well mixed.
Put in 9x13 pan...
Bake covered at 350 degrees for 60-75 minutes—
uncover last 10 minutes.

Enjoy homemade yummyness 

that's not only frugal, 

but that just uses basic ingredients 

and isn't filled with lots of preservatives!

I can guarantee everyone you serve 

this to will be saying "Yum!"!

Hooked on Quinoa!

Yes it's true....

we are totally HOOKED and loving Quinoa!!  

I think we are going to be using this 

instead of rice and pasta, it is just SO good!  

The health benefits of this super grain are amazing! (here)

It's fairly economical as well...

 I've been purchasing 2 pound bags at Sam's Club for $4.48 and it gives you a little over 5 cups worth of Quinoa 

 (you use 1 cup for each batch of whatever you make up)  

My family could seriously have this Casserole  

every night and not get sick of it. 

It's full of yummy veggies and it can be made with, OR, without chicken.  

(although I bottled up a bunch of chicken this spring that I purchased from Zaycon foods and this is a great use for that). 

(found the original recipe here, but I tweaked it quite a bit as we LOVE onions and I wanted to use more veggies than just broccoli AND I cut down some of the mayo, added more quinoa, etc...)  

It's great because you can do 

much of the preparation in advance...

cook up the quinoa and put it in the fridge,

grate the cheese,

cut up the veggies....

THEN when it's time to make dinner,  

you just lightly steam the veggies,

WHILE you're sauteing the onion

AND while your making the white sauce.

You then just mix all together, top with Parmesan Cheese,

bake for 40 minutes and you have delicious, nutritious dinner for your family!
We enjoy ours with a green smoothie!

Quinoa Casserole  

2 cups cooked quinoa
1 finely diced onion (sautéed until tender)
(cook carrots, celery and cauliflower until slightly tender...5-10 minutes)
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup chopped celery
2 cups (either broccoli, OR, cauliflower)
1 can cooked chicken (OR, one cooked chicken breast)
White Sauce (recipe below)

2 Tbsp. Mayonnaise (this is optional, it just adds a little more fat)
2 Tbsp. milk
1-1/4 cup grated cheese
¼ tsp. black pepper
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
(1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan Cheese to top casserole with before putting oven)

Cooked Quinoa
1 cup Quinoa
2 cups water
¼ tsp. salt 

Rinse Quinoa well.

Bring water/salt to a boil and add in rinsed quinoa and cook 20-25minutes until fluffy and white ring/tail is visible.

(White sauce)
1/8 cup dry milk powder
1 cup water
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 Tbsp. butter
1 tsp. chicken bouillon
Dash of pepper
Bring ingredients to boil until thickened.

Heat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl combine white sauce, mayonnaise, milk, pepper and nutmeg.
Stir in cooked quinoa, sautéed onion, chicken, lightly steamed veggies and grated cheese until well coated
Spoon into 9x13 pan and top with grated Parmesan Cheese and 

bake for 40-45 minutes, until bubbly. 

 If you have any leftovers 

they make a great lunch the next day!

Enjoy making something 

healthy and delicious for your family today!

Adding Fun to Dinner with Winter Veggies!

Winter Veggies like

Butternut Squash and Sweet potatoes...

truly some of my favorite veggies to eat!  

I can honestly say I could eat them everyday 

and never tire of them.

If you do have Butternut Squash  
or Sweet potatoes on hand 

and want a yummy way to fix them up, 

I have two wonderful recipes that are perfect for them.

 Roasted Chicken and Veggies 

uses chicken thighs, garlic, rosemary, 

sweet potatoes, red potatoes, apples and pecans.
(this is perfect to feed a large crowd, OR, if you are a small family, 
use the leftovers to take for lunch to work/school the next day)

 Butternut Squash Casserole 

is full of  sauteed onions, squash, apples, ham, cheese and thyme,
and they truly blend together to make the most delicious casserole ever.
This would also be a perfect thing
to make for a breakfast casserole!

(BTW...I try and keep a few packages of Canadian Bacon in my freezer to have on hand for making Pizza, Calzones and this Casserole)

Definitely a delicious way to add 

some FUN to your dinner that nutritious as well!

(my sweet hubby's recipe card as he is the one that makes this up for us)

Rosemary Roasted Chicken and Veggies 

3 teaspoons paprika

2 heaping teaspoons crushed rosemary leaves 

3-4 cloves garlic minced

1/2 teaspoon coarse pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt 

3 Tbsp. olive oil

8-10 bone in chicken thighs  OR, 4-5 chicken leg quarters (skins removed)

3 sweet potatoes peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes

3 large potatoes peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes (or you can use 5-6 small red potatoes)

3 apples peeled and thinly sliced

handful of pecan halves 

Mix first 6 ingredients together in a bowl.

Put chicken, potatoes, apples and pecans in a large metal bowl and pour spice mixture over it and TOSS well to coat.  (using your hands is the best way to do this).

Arrange chicken/veggies in a large casserole dish that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.

(HINT...I actually had to use 2 casserole dishes...so I just divided it between 2 pans as I didn't have one large enough)

Roast uncovered in 425 degree oven for 45-60 minutes until the veggies are tender and chicken has reached 165 degrees.

Absolutely delicious!   

If there are any leftovers,  

I just pull the chicken off the bones and mix with the veggies

and this makes DELICIOUS leftovers to take for lunch the next day.

This would also be the PERFECT meal to serve company... 

serve with a green salad and slice of Artisan bread and you could really feed a crowd!

Butternut Squash Casserole

1 large (or 2 small) butternut squash peeled, seeded and thinly sliced
2 large onions thinly sliced/then sauteed until very tender
2 small apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
2 teaspoons thyme
3 Tbsp flour
4 oz. shredded Swiss cheese

(6oz) package Canadian Bacon
1-1/2 cups chicken stock
2 pieces wheat bread toasted and crumbled

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a shallow baking dish layer 1/3 of the squash, then ½ of the sauteed onions and then ½ of the apple slices. Season with a sprinkle of thyme, ¼ tsp pepper and a scatter of flour and 1/3 of the cheese. 

Layer half the meat.

For the second layer repeat the process topping with squash.

Add chicken stock.
Cover and bake for 30 minutes.
Remove from oven, uncover and sprinkle with bread crumbs and remaining cheese.
Return to oven uncovered and bake 30-45 minutes until veggies are tender
Remove from oven and let stand for 15 minutes before serving.

You will find after enjoying these yummy dishes 

that winter veggies never tasted SO good!

Enjoy and have fun!