easy chicken tetrazzini

This is such a comfort food. It also makes plenty for leftovers, which I personally love. You can also easily cut the recipe in half if you are making it for a smaller group. Half of the recipe makes plenty for my family of 4.

ingredients:

1 lb cooked and drained spaghetti

5 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed (I usually only use 3 large ones and it's plenty.)

2 cans cream of chicken soup

2 1/4 cups water

1/4 cup butter

2 cubes chicken bouillon

1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

directions:

1. put cooked spaghetti into a greased 9x13 baking dish. add chicken on top of spaghetti.*

2. In medium saucepan mix together soup, water, butter and bouillon. bring to a boil, and pour over chicken and spaghetti. add shredded cheese on top and press down a little.

3. bake at 350 for about 25 minutes.

*This particular recipe did not call for mushrooms, but I love to add them into mine. I usually place them on top of the chicken before I pour on the sauce. I use 1 small can.

quiche

This is very similar to the mini crustless quiches, but it's a regular size quiche in a pie crust. I make this for dinner a lot, but obviously it would be great for breakfast as well. My 4-year-old son likes to call it "egg pie". Hey, whatever will get him to eat it! :) The recipe doesn't call for it, but I usually add spinach for some extra nutrients.

ingredients:

8 slices bacon

1 small onion, chopped & sauteed

1 tsp garlic, minced & sauteed

5 eggs

2 cups milk

salt & pepper

1.5 cups grated cheese

1 frozen pie crust

directions:

1. preheat oven to 350.

2. in a large bowl, beat eggs and milk until blended.

3. add onion, garlic, salt, and pepper. whisk for 1 minute.

4. pour mixture into pie crust.

5. sprinkle bacon and cheese on top and press below surface.

6. bake until golden and knife comes out clean. (the baking time will depend on your oven, so just keep an eye on it and watch for that beautiful golden color on top.)

cheesy smashed potatoes

I think all I have to say right now is YUM. I like mashed potatoes, but I like them even more if they're cheesy. This is a great fancied-up side to have with regular ol' chicken and veggies.

ingredients:

2 lbs baby yukon gold potatoes

1/4 cup sour cream

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

chopped chives (optional)

salt & pepper

directions:

1. cut potatoes in half and place in a pot.

2. cover with water, add a pinch or two of salt, and bring to a boil.

3. boil until tender. (this will vary in time, depending on the size of your potatoes. pierce with a fork every couple of minutes to check when tender.)

4. drain and return to pot.

5. smash potatoes and add sour cream, cheese, chives, and salt & pepper.

baked corn dip

This dip is SO good! I've actually only made it one time, for a cookout, and it was a huge hit.

ingredients:

2 cups frozen corn, thawed

1 can rotel, drained (if you like spicy things, you can get "hot" rotel. it gives it a little "something".)

1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, cubed

1/2 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp cumin

directions:

1. in bowl combine corn, rotel, and spices.

2. but in greased casserole dish and top with cubed cream cheese.

3. bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

4. stir to blend, then smooth it out with a spatula.

5. serve with fritos or tortilla chips.

cajun shrimp alfredo

This is another recipe that is so easy, but looks fancy. If you don't like shrimp, feel free to use chicken instead!

ingredients:

1 jar (16 oz) Alfredo sauce

1 package fettuccini

1 lb shrimp, peeled

2 tbsp cajun seasoning

1 tsp fresh or dried parsley for garnish

directions:

1. in saucepan, heat Alfredo sauce.

2. cook pasta in separate pot.

3. add cajun seasoning to Alfredo, and simmer on medium heat, stirring well.

4. when sauce is hot, add shrimp and heat through.

5. mix sauce with pasta.

6. garnish with parsley.

spaghetti sauce

This is my family's famous spaghetti sauce. My family, meaning my grandmother and my mom. I'm not sure if my grandmother created it or if she got it from somewhere else. Either way, it's amazing and it always brings me back to my childood. I remember growing up and I'd walk in the door from school to smell this sauce simmering away on the stove. Oh my gracious. It's not a sweet sauce, and it's a little more thin, not very chunky. The recipe doesn't call for it, but feel free to add onions, bell peppers, or diced tomatoes to the sauce. My mom just never put this stuff in there because apparently we were all pretty picky as kids. Sorry mom! :)

ingredients:

1 lb ground beef

2 cans Hunts tomato sauce

1 small can tomato paste

2 cans water (if you want it a little thicker, just do 1.5 cans)

1 tbsp italian seasoning

1 tsp garlic salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 package spaghetti seasoning (italian style. i usually use McCormick.)

1 tbsp butter

directions:

1. brown beef and drain.

2. add all ingredients to a pot on the stove, or a crockpot.

3. if using stovetop, bring to a boil and let simmer as long as possible (at least an hour, if not more). if using crockpot, cook on low for 3-4 hours.

homemade chicken noodle soup

My mom gave me this recipe, but I can't remember where she found it. A good idea I heard was to make a big batch of this and freeze it to have on hand when you, a friend, or someone in your family is sick. I thought that was a great idea! This is one of the easiest recipes ever.

ingredients:

4 cups chicken broth

1 cup shredded chicken

1/2 cup egg noodles

1 stalk celery, sliced

1 carrot, sliced

pepper

directions:

1. add broth, celery, carrots, and pepper to a pot. bring to a boil.

2. add noodles and chicken.

3. simmer for about 10 minutes or until noodles are done.

crockpot stuffed chicken

I have only made this once, and enjoyed it a lot. I just love crockpot meals. Its like having someone cook for you. Sort of. :) This is a good fall recipe, since the stuffing reminds me of thanksgiving.

ingredients:

chicken breasts, flattened (1 chicken breast per person. use however many you need.)

1 package instant herb-seasoned stuffing mix or cornbread stuffing mix

1 small onion

2 tbsp butter

1 can cream of celery soup

shredded monterey jack cheese

directions:

1. prepare stuffing mix according to directions, adding 1/2 cup chopped onion to stuffing.

2. spoon stuffing mix onto chicken breasts, roll up, and secure with a toothpick.

3. brown chicken rolls in butter in a hot skillet.

4. place in crockpot an spoon extra stuffing around chicken.

5. spoon cream of celery soup all over chicken.

6. cook on low for 5 hours.

7. sprinkle with monterey jack cheese and let melt before serving.

spinach artichoke dip

This is a classic dip to take to parties, showers, etc. I love spinach and artichokes, so mix it with cheese and what's not to like?! This particular recipe has pepper jack cheese, so there is a hint of spicyness (is that a word?). You can serve it when any kind of cracker or bread you want. I've used Triscuits, and it was delish.

ingredients:

1 (10 oz) package frozen spinach

2 cans artichoke hearts

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup sour cream

1 cup grated parmesan cheese

1 cup grated pepper jack cheese

directions:

1. preheat oven to 350. grease casserole dish. (i used a round dish.)

2. heat spinach in microwave for 5 minutes, then wrap in a towel and squeeze dry.

3. drain artichoke hearts and coarsely chop.

4. combine all ingredients except jack cheese in a large bowl. stir well.

5. pour into prepared casserole dish and sprinkle with jack cheese.

6. bake for 30 minutes.

breakfast bake

This is a great recipe if you are hosting guests. It's also fun to make on a Saturday morning for your family. It does need to set in the fridge overnight, so take that into consideration when planning to make this.

ingredients:

1 lb ground sausage

9 eggs

3 cups milk

9 slices bread, cubed

1 1/2 cups grated cheese

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp dry mustard (sounds strange, but its crucial! its found in the seasoning section of the grocery store)

directions:

1. brown sausage and drain.

2. mix everything together and pour into a greased 9x13 pan.

3. set in fridge overnight.

4. bake for 45 minutes at 350. let stand 10 minutes before cutting.

red beans & rice

This is one of our favorites. I got the recipe from my mother-in-law, so my husband grew up eating this. It can be cooked in the crockpot or on the stove, but I personally think its easier in the crockpot so you don't have to worry about it. But, by all means, do whichever you prefer!

ingredients:

1 lb dry kidney beans (soak in a bowl of water overnight. they will start to crack open - that's normal.)

white rice (as many servings as you need for your family or guests)

1 onion

3 bay leaves

salt and pepper

garlic powder

1/2 package of Hillshire Farms smoked sausage, sliced

directions:

stovetop:

1. add 6 cups hot water to beans.

2. cover and simmer gently over low heat until tender, about 2 hours.

3. add onion, bay leaves, spices, and sausage.

4. serve over rice.

crockpot:

1. add beans and 2-4 cups of water to crockpot, and add all ingredients except rice and sausage.

2. cook on low for 6 hours.

3. about an hour before serving, add sausage.

4. serve over rice.

We love to top it with shredded cheddar cheese before we eat it. YUM.

dorito chicken

When I first saw the words "dorito" and "chicken" together, I was a little unsure. Well, little did I know, they taste SO good together!

ingredients:

1 (10 oz) can cream of chicken soup

1 small can Rotel

1 small onion, chopped

3 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1 bag Nacho Cheese Doritos, crushed

directions:

1. preheat oven to 350.

2. combine soup, rotel, and onion in a bowl. stir well.

3. grease a 13x9 pan and layer soup mixture, shredded chicken, and grated cheese. top with crushed doritos. (use as many doritos as you like. you don't have to use the whole bag.)

4. bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes, until bubbly.

crescent chicken casserole

This is one recipe I will admit I wasn't sure how it would turn out, but we really enjoyed it. I mean, if it involves crescent rolls, it's likely to be good, right?! I served it with some green veggies on the side.

ingredients:

3 oz cream cheese, softened

1 tbsp butter, softened

2 cups chicken breast, cooked and chopped

1 tbsp minced onion (fresh or dried)

1 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

2 tbsp milk

1 package crescent rolls (you can use reduced fat to make it healthier)

1 tbsp butter, melted

1/2 cup bread crumbs

ingredients:

1. in a bowl, combine cream cheese and butter.

2. add chicken, onion, salt & pepper, and milk.

3. lay out 4 crescent rolls in a well greased 8x8 pan.

4. spoon entire mixture over rolls and spread out evenly.

5. top with remaining 4 rolls.

6. drizzle melted butter over top (yum!), then sprinkle with bread crumbs.

7. bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes.

layered fiesta casserole

This is another mexican casserole dish, for those of you that love mexican food. Who doesn't?!

ingredients:

1 lb ground beef

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 jar chunky salsa

1 can diced tomatoes, not drained

1 package frozen corn, thawed

12 flour tortillas (taco size)

1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese

directions:

1. preheat oven to 375.

2. brown meat with peppers in large skillet, drain.

3. stir in salsa, tomatoes, and corn. bring to a boil.

4. spoon 1 cup meat mixture into bottom ix 13x9 dish.

5. top with 6 tortillas, overlapping as necessary.

6. spoon half of the remaining meat over tortillas, and top with 3/4 cup of cheese.

7. top with remaining 6 tortillas and meat. cover with foil.

8. bake 25-30 minutes or until heated through.

9. remove from oven and sprinkle with remaining cheese.

wassail

If you want your house to smell like the holidays, you've GOT to try this recipe. Not only does it smell amazing, it tastes amazing as well. I love to make this when I'm entertaining during the holidays. Or, if you aren't entertaining, put on your comfortable pants, pour yourself a mug of this and curl up on the couch to watch a Hallmark movie. :)

ingredients:

2 quarts apple cider

2 cups pineapple juice

1 1/2 cups orange juice

3/4 cup lemon juice

1 cup sugar

2 cinnamon sticks

1 tsp whole cloves

directions:

1. boil all ingredients in a pot and serve hot. (so easy!)

taco casserole

The first time I ever made this recipe was in my home economics class in 7th grade. I took the recipe home to my family and it was a big hit. Now I make it for my family, and my hubby is especially a big fan. It's so, so simple.

ingredients:

1 lb ground beef

1 onion

8 oz cheddar or mexican blend cheese

8 oz sour cream

1/2 package taco seasoning

1 can tomato soup (soup, not sauce.)

tortilla chips

directions:

1. preheat oven to 350.

2. brown meat and onion in a skillet. drain.

3. add tomato soup and taco seasoning to the meat. let simmer about 5 minutes.

4. pour meat mixture into greased 8x8 or round casserole dish.

5. top evenly with sour cream.

6. top with cheese.

7. bake until bubbly and cheese is melted.

8. serve with tortilla chips, rice and beans (optional) and enjoy!

crustless quiches

These little things are so good for breakfast or appetizers. They would also be great for a brunch or a shower. This is just a basic recipe for quiche, but you can add many different things to them such as ham, bacon, spinach, different cheeses, sausage, and anything else your heart desires. I love spinach quiches... and its a great way to get some green into your kids (or you) without eating spinach just plain.

ingredients:

3 tbsp butter, divided

1/4 cup chopped scallions

3 large eggs

2 tbsp milk

1/4 cup grated cheese (any kind you like)

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

directions:

1. preheat oven to 425.

2. grease one tray of 24 mini-muffin pan cups.

3. in a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.

4. add scallions and saute until soft.

5. remove pan from heat and let cool slightly.

6. in medium bowl, mix eggs, milk, cheese, and salt & pepper. stir in scallions.

7. spoon 1 tbsp of mixture into each muffin cup.

8. bake until centers are set and top is slightly golden, about 8-10 minutes.

9. let cool 1 minute and use knife to loosen from cups.

pumpkin cookies

I love making these cookies when fall rolls around. If you like pumpkin desserts, I bet you'll love these. I add white chocolate chips to mine, but the possibilities are endless.

ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 1/4 cups dark brown sugar

2 eggs, beaten

1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3 tsp baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp salt

1/3 tsp ground ginger

optional ingredients: raisins, nuts, chocolate chips

directions:

1. preheat oven to 400.

2. cream together softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

3. stir in eggs and pumpkin

4. in separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and spices until well combined.

5. combine dry ingredients with pumpkin mixture until well blended.

6. drop by teaspoonful onto parchment paper.

7. bake about 15 minutes. (these cookies don't rise very much.)

king ranch casserole

This is another favorite of ours, and it's something we both enjoyed growing up. It also makes a great dish to freeze.

ingredients:

3-4 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 can rotel

1/2 can chicken broth

12 corn tortillas (cut into small squares)

1 onion, chopped

2 cups grated cheddar cheese

directions:

1. preheat oven to 350.

2. blend the following until smooth: 2 cans soup, rotel, broth.

3. in a 13x9 greased casserole dish, place a layer of chicken, half of the tortilla squares, half of the onion, half of the cheese, and half of the sauce.

4. repeat layers, ending with the cheese.

5. bake uncovered for 1 hour.

italian baked chicken and pastina

This is a Giada Laurentiis recipe. I love a good pasta dish. This one is easy and simple, yet different.

ingredients:

1 cup small pasta (any kind you choose. i usually use small bowties.)

2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 cup cubed chicken breast

1/2 cup diced onion

1 cloved minced garlic

1 can diced tomatoes with juice

1 cup shredded mozzarella

1/4 cup chopped parsley (optional)

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/4 cup bread crumbs

1/4 cup grated parmesan

1 tbsp butter

directions:

1. preheat oven to 400.

2. cook chicken in olive oil. add onions and garlic and cook until onions are soft and chicken is done.

3. put chicken mixture into a bowl with the cooked pasta.

4. add tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, parsley, salt & pepper. stir.

5. pour mixture into greased 8x8 dish.

6. in a small bowl, mix bread crumbs and parmesan cheese. sprinkle over pasta. dot with small bits of butter.

7. cook until top is golden, about 30 minutes.

quick & easy apple dumplings

This dessert is amazing, and is so easy to make yet it looks so fancy. Top with vanilla ice cream and you'll be in heaven! It's great for entertaining.

ingredients:

2 medium granny smith apples

1 (8-count) package refrigerated crescent roll dough

1/8 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 cup butter

1 cup sugar

1 cup orange juice

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup very finely chopped pecans (optional)

directions:

1. preheat oven to 350. grease an 8-inch square baking dish.

2. peel and core apples. cut each apple into fourths. unroll and separate dough, and wrap each apple section in a crescent roll. place in dish and sprinkle with cinnamon.

3. combine butter, sugar, and orange juice in a medium saucepan. bring to a boil. remove from heat and stir in vanilla. pour over dumplings. sprinkle pecans over top.

4. bake 30 minutes, or until dumplings are golden and beginning to bubble, and apples are tender when pierced with a fork.

5. to serve, spoon some of the syrup from the baking dish over the dumplings. (perhaps the most important step!)

chicken, black beans & rice

This is one of our favorite meals of all time. It's just one big bowl of deliciousness.

ingredients:

2 tsp vegetable oil

1 cup uncooked white rice

1 tsp chili powder

2 cups cubed, cooked chicken (1 large chicken breast, or 2 small ones)

2 cups frozen seasoning blend (onions, bell pepper, etc. i use pictsweet brand)

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 can chicken broth

2 tbsp water

shredded cheddar cheese

directions:

1. heat oil in large pot over medium-high heat. when hot, add rice and chili powder. cook and stir about 1 minute.

2. stir in all remaining ingredients except cheese.

3. bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. (about 15 min.) stir occasionally.

4. remove skillet from heat and fluff mixture with a spoon.

5. add cheese and serve.

taco soup

This soup is so delicious, and a great comfort food. I actually halved the recipe the last time I made it, and it still made enough for us to have for another night. So, if you want a lot to freeze or if you are making it for a bigger crowd, go ahead and make the whole thing. Don't let the long list of ingredients scare you... it's very easy.

ingredients:

2 lbs ground beef

1 large onion, chopped

2 cans pinto beans

1 can light red kidney beans

1 can black beans (drained and rinsed)

1 can whole kernel corn (drained)

1 can mexican-style stewed tomatoes (regular works fine, too.)

1 can rotel

2 cans diced green chiles

1 package taco seasoning

1 package ranch salad dressing mix

optional garnishes: tortilla chips, sour cream, shredded cheese

directions:

1. brown beef and onion in a large skillet; drain.

2. transfer beef to large pot

3. add all beans, corn, tomatoes, green chiles, taco seasoning, and ranch dressing mix.

4. simmer over medium-low heat for 1 hour. (i actually put mine in the crock-pot on low for about 4 hours, and it turned out perfect.)

chocolate pie

Some of our friends/neighbors made this pie for us as a "welcome to the neighborhood" gift. We loved it! It's SO easy, and I usually always have the ingredients on hand if I want to whip it up last minute. Enjoy!

ingredients:

1 unbaked pie crust

1 stick butter

2 squares of semi-sweet chocolate

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

dash of salt

directions:

1. melt butter and chocolate together in a bowl in the microwave or in a pot over medium heat.

2. in a separate bowl, mix together sugar, eggs, vanilla and salt.

3. add butter/chocolate mixture to sugar mixture and mix well.

4. pour into crust.

5. bake at 350 for 35 minutes.