Tuna & Pasta Cheddar Casserole

Tuna & Pasta Cheddar Casserole

I have had a request for a quick and easy tuna casserole.  Although personally not a fan of tuna, I have made this one before and I have to admit that even this non-tuna fan enjoyed it!  Must have been the cheese! *wink*

Ingredients

- 3 cups uncooked rotini pasta
- 3 cups water
- 1 can condensed Cream of Mushroom soup
- 1 can solid white tuna in water, drained
- 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 3 tbsp Italian seasoned bread crumbs
- 1 tbsp melted butter or margarine

Directions

- preheat oven to 375F
- in large pot, boil pasta in 3 cups of water until just tender. DO NOT DRAIN
- add soup to pasta & water and stir well to combine
- pour pasts/soup mixture into 2 qt (2L) casserole dish
- gently stir in flaked tuna
- sprinkle with cheddar and parmesan cheese
- top with mixture of bread crumbs and melted butter
- bake at 375F for 20 minutes

*Serves 4.

Enjoy!

~ The Lazy Gourmet

Chicken Caesar Pasta

Chicken Caesar Pasta

If you are a tomato-lover like me, then this is the perfect dinner that's ready in less than 30 minutes!

Ingredients

- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 lb (500 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into cubes
- 1 can condensed Cream of Celery Soup
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/3 cup Caesar salad dressing
- 4 cups hot cooked linguine
- 1 medium tomato, diced
- 1/8 tsp ground black pepper
- grated parmesan cheese

Directions

- heat oil at medium-high heat in large skillet
- add chicken and cook 10 minutes or until browned
- reduce heat to low
- stir in soup, water & salad dressing
- heat to a boil, stirring occasionally
- cover and cook over low heat until chicken is cooked through (approx 5 minutes)
- toss with cooked linguine and tomato
- sprinkle with pepper and parmesan before serving

*Serves 4

Enjoy!

~ The Lazy Gourmet

Au Gratin Potatoes

Au Gratin Potatoes

My friend Cathy sent me this recipe yesterday and swears it is the best potato recipe EVER!

Ingredients

- 4 large potatoes (Yukon Gold are recommended) thinly sliced
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 3 tbsp butter
- 3 tbsp all purpose flour
- 2 cups milk
- 1 1/2 to 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, or any cheese blend you prefer
- large dollop of cream cheese
- salt & pepper to taste
*Optional: add fresh chopped thyme to the potatoes

Directions

- preheat oven to 400 F
- saute chopped onions until clear
- layer potatoes onto bottom of buttered casserole dish
- top with sauted onions
- add remainder of potatoes and season with salt & pepper
- in medium saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat
- mix in flour and stir constantly with a whisk
- stir in milk and simmer until milk bubbles
- stir in cream cheese and continue to simmer until melted
- add shredded cheese and continue to simmer until cheese is melted
- pour cheese sauce over potatoes & cover with aluminium foil
- bake for 90 minutes
- remove foil for last 15 minutes to allow top to brown

*Cool Tip - Cathy uses this same cheese sauce recipe for macaroni. Yum!

Enjoy!

~ The Lazy Gourmet

Savoury Chicken Stew

Savoury Chicken Stew

We made this earlier in the week and it was really good!  The leftovers were perfect for school lunches too.  Veggies can be substituted depending on your taste - we skipped the broccoli and added mushrooms and red peppers instead.

Ingredients

- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 can condensed Cream of Chicken & Broccoli soup
- 1/2 cup milk
- 4 small red potatoes, cut into quarters (approx 2 1/2 cups)
- 2 medium carrots, sliced (approx 1 cup)
- 1 cup fresh broccoli florets *Quick Tip - we are not broccoli lovers in our house so we substituted mushrooms and red peppers. Any veggie you like will do!
- 1/8 tsp pepper

Directions

- in large skillet over medium-high heat, in hot oil, cook chicken until browned, stirring often
- remove chicken once cooked and set aside
- in same skillet, combine soup, milk, potatoes, pepper and veggies *Quick Tip - we used a large pot for this step as things were overflowing out of the skillet!
- heat mixture to a boil and reduce heat to low
- cover and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally
- add cooked chicken to stew mixture
- cover and cook an additional 5 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink & veggies are tender

*Makes 4 main-dish servings.

Enjoy!

~ The Lazy Gourmet

Crock Pot Pizza Casserole

Crock Pot Pizza Casserole

This was submitted last night and sounds too good not to try!  I know this will be a hit with the 12 and under crowd in this house! :)

Ingredients

- 1 package (16 oz) wide egg noddles
- 1 1/2 lbs ground beef or turkey
- 1/4 cup chopped onion
- 1 jar (26 oz) spaghetti sauce
- 1 can ( 4 1/2 oz) sliced mushrooms, drained
- 1 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 package (3 1/2 oz) sliced pepperoni
- 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- non-stick cooking spray

Directions

- cook noodles on stove top according to package directions
- meanwhile, in large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink
- drain fat from beef
- stir in spaghetti sauce, mushrooms and Italian seasoning
- drain noodles
- coat Crock Pot with non-stick cooking spray
- spread 1/3 of meat sauce on bottom of Crock Pot
- cover with 1/3 of noodles and pepperoni
- sprinkle with 1/3 of cheese
- repeat layers twice more
- cover and cook on LOW for 3 to 4 hours or until heated through and cheese is melted

*Makes 6 to 8 large servings

Enjoy!

~ The Lazy Gourmet

No-Fuss Mac & Cheese

No-Fuss Mac & Cheese

I just discovered this in my Campbell's soup recipe book (give credit where credit is due!) and am going to give it a try this weekend.  It looks SUPER cheesy!!!! And as you all know, cheese makes me happy :)

Ingredients

- 2 cans condensed Cream of Celery soup
- 1 cup milk
- 1 tsp prepared mustard
- 1/8 tsp pepper
- 6 cups hot cooked elbow macaroni (about 3 cups dry)
- 4 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 can French fried onions

Directions

- cook macaroni noodles first and set aside
- preheat oven to 400F
- in large bowl, combine soup, milk, mustard & pepper
- stir in COOKED macaroni and 3 cups of cheese (set 1 cup of cheese aside)
- spoon mixture into 3-quart oblong or square baking dish
- bake at 400F for 20 minutes or until hot and bubbling
- stir casserole
- sprinkle onions and remaining 1 cup of cheese over macaroni mixture
- bake 1 minute more or until onions are golden

*Serves 8

Enjoy!

~ The Lazy Gourmet

Crock Pot Salsa Chicken

Crock Pot Salsa Chicken

Saw this posted on my friend Kathy's Facebook page this week and it looked too good not to share!  Going to give it a try later this week.  Yum!

Ingredients

- 2 lbs (32 oz) chicken breasts, boneless & skinless
- 1 cup salsa
- 1 cup diced canned tomatoes
- 2 tbsp taco seasoning
- 1 cup onion, finely diced
- 1/2 cup celery, finely diced
- 1/2 cup carrots, shredded
- 3 tbsp sour cream

Directions

- place chicken in Crock Pot & sprinkle taco seasoning over meat
- layer vegetables and salsa on top
- pour 1/2 cup water over entire mixture
- cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours
*Meat is cooked when it shreds easily or reaches internal temp of 165F
- when ready to serve break up chicken with fork and stir in sour cream

*Serves 8

Enjoy!

~ The Lazy Gourmet

Cheeseburger Pasta

Cheeseburger Pasta


Just came across this recipe today and am going to give it a try.  Looks super easy and most ingredients are things you would have in your cupboard already.  Perfect for a day like this when it's too cold to leave the house!

*This recipe is getting rave reviews! :) 

Ingredients

- 1 lb (500 g) ground beef
- 1 can condensed tomato soup
- 1 soup can of water
- 2 cups uncooked rotini pasta
- 1 medium tomato, chopped
- 1/2 medium green pepper, chopped
- 1/8 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 cup shredded Cheddar or marble cheese

Directions

- cook beef at medium-high in large skillet until browned
- drain fat and reduce heat slightly
- stir in soup and water
- heat mixture to a boil, stirring often
- stir in uncooked rotini pasta, tomato, green pepper and black pepper (ensure pasta is in liquid)
- cover and cook over low-medium heat approx 15 minutes or until pasta is tender, stirring often
- top with shredded cheese and serve

*Serves 4

Enjoy!

~ The Lazy Gourmet

Chunky Pizza Soup

Chunky Pizza Soup

This one is from the archives!  My mom used to make this when we were kids.  Sounds like a perfect comfort food dinner for a cold night in!

Ingredients

- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 large can plum tomatoes, undrained
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1/2 tbsp basil
- 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
- 1/4 cup slivered green peppers
- 1 cup thinly sliced pepperoni
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella

Directions

- in large skillet, stir fry onions, mushrooms & peppers in oil until soft
- add remaining ingredients (except cheese) and cook til heated through
- divide mixture into 4 oven-proof bowls
- sprinkle with mozzarella cheese
- broil until cheese is melted and bubbly *Quick Tip - you can also microwave on HIGH until cheese melts

*Serves 4.

Enjoy!

~ The Lazy Gourmet

Turkey Vegetable Chili Mac

Crock Pot Turkey Vegetable Chili Mac

Have to admit that I am not generally a fan of chili, but this sounds sooooooo good I will have to give it a try!

Ingredients

- 3/4 pound ground turkey breast
- 1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 can (15 oz) Mexican-style stewed tomatoes, undrained
- 1 can (15 oz) no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced (or garlic powder equivalent)
- 1 tsp Mexican seasoning
- 1/2 cup uncooked elbow macaroni
- 1/3 cup sour cream

Directions

- brown turkey in skillet on stovetop *Have to admit I never pre-cook CrockPot meat, but that's just lazy me!
- combine turkey, beans, tomatoes, corn, onion, garlic and seasoning in Crock Pot
- cover and cook on LOW 4 to 5 hours
- stir in macaroni
- cover and cook on LOW 10 minutes & then stir mixture thoroughly
- cover and cook 20 to 30 minutes or until pasta is tender
- serve with a dollop of sour cream on top

*Makes 6 hearty servings.

Enjoy!

~ The Lazy Gourmet

Ravioli Bake

Ravioli Bake

Was looking for something to keep us warm this week as winter rears it's ugly head! Brrrr......  This is a wonderful winter comfort food.

Ingredients

- 2 pkgs fresh ravioli *Frugal Tip - since frozen ravioli is easier on the budget, I buy frozen and just boil for a few minutes before putting the casserole together
- 1 jar pasta sauce
- 1 can stewed tomatoes
- 1 can beef broth
- 1/2 cup Italian salad dressing
- 1 can tomato paste
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese (or more if you are cheese addicts like us!)

Directions

- preheat oven to 350F
- combine pasta sauce, stewed tomatoes, beef broth, tomato paste and Italian dressing in large bowl
- place ravioli in large (lightly greased) casserole dish and pour mixture over pasta
- sprinkle cheese over entire casserole
- bake at 350F for 45 minutes or until pasta is tender and cheese is melted

Enjoy!

~ The Lazy Gourmet

Crock Pot Spaghetti Sauce! Mmmmm.......

Crock Pot Spaghetti Sauce

With the exception of my Grandmother's "old school" recipe, this is the BEST spaghetti sauce recipe I have come across.  The brown sugar may be the secret ingredient!

Ingredients

- 1 lb ground beef or bulk Italian sausage (I've only ever used ground beef)
- 1 medium onion, chopped (I skip this)
- 1 large can of stewed tomatoes, undrained
- 1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce *Quick Tip - just buy the cheap 99 cent sauce since you can add your own spices to this recipe
- 1 small can of tomato paste
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tbsp dried basil
- 2 tbsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp salt

Directions

- add all ingredients (with meat at the bottom) to the Crock Pot
- cover and cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours
*Quick Tip - I use a wooden spoon to break up the beef after it's been cooking a few hours, just to distribute the flavour of the meat through the sauce
- discard bay leaf
- serve over hot, cooked spaghetti

*Makes 6-8 hearty servings.

Enjoy!

~ The Lazy Gourmet

Crock Pot Veggie & Beef Pasta

Crock Pot Veggie & Beef Pasta

Just tried this for the first time last night and it was fabulous!!  And super easy!!

Ingredients

- 2 cups frozen veggies (I used California Mix of broccoli, cauliflower & carrots)
- 1 medium onion, thinly sliced (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 can stewed tomatoes, undrained
- 3/4 cup beef broth
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 small can tomato paste
- 2 cups cooked rotini pasta (approx. 1/2 a bag)
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (in my opinion, MORE is BETTER when it comes to cheese so I used 1 1/2 cups)

Directions

- combine veggies, onion, basil, oregano, thyme tomatoes & beef broth in slow cooker
- cover and cook on LOW for 2 1/2 hours
- add ground beef and garlic to slow cooker
- cook an additional 2 hours (or more) on LOW
- cook rotini on stovetop
- add pasta, tomato paste & cheese to slow cooker and cook 30 min or until heated through

*Recipe says makes 4 servings but we had it for dinner last night & lunch today and I probably still have 4 servings left over!

Enjoy!

~ The Lazy Gourmet

Ranchero Macaroni

Ranchero Macaroni

Wow, it's been awhile! This recipe is an oldie but a goodie!  Haven't made it in awhile and decided to throw it in the oven tonight. Super easy and super yummy!

DISCLAIMER: NOT low fat. NOT low sodium. DEFINITELY yummy! :)

Ingredients:

- 1 can condensed Cream of Chicken soup
- 1 cup milk
- 6 cups hot cooked elbow macaroni (approx 3 cups dry)
- 3 cups shredded Cheddar OR Monteray Jack cheese (I use waaaay more!)
- 1 cup salsa (again, I use way more! Like 1/2 the big jar!)
- 1 cup crushed tortilla chips

Directions:

- in large bowl, combine soup & milk
- stir in cooked macaroni, cheese & salsa (to save dishes I sometimes do all this in the casserole dish)
- spoon mixture into 3 quart baking dish
- bake at 400F for 20 minutes
- remove from oven and stir
- sprinkle chips over macaroni mixture
- bake 5 more minutes or until hot & bubbling

*Makes approx 8 main dish servings. FAB for freezing or leftovers for lunches.

Enjoy!

~ The Lazy Gourmet

Crock Pot Chicken Stew

Crock Pot Chicken Stew

*This is sooooo yummy I cannot even tell you.........

Ingredients

- 2 cups sliced carrots (OR 1 small bag of baby carrots - no chopping! Yay!)
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1 large green pepper, sliced
- 1/2 cup sliced celery (I sometimes subsititute green beans)
- 2 cans chicken broth
- 2/3 cup all purpose flour
- 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts - *Quick Tip - My recipe says to cut them into pieces, but I find that if you put them in the crock pot whole, as they soften & cook you can break them apart with a spoon*
- 2 large potatoes - unpeeled & cut into 1-inch pieces (small redskins are good here too)
- 1 cup sliced mushrooms
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 3/4 tsp dried rosemary
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 cup heavy cream

Directions

- combine carrots, onion, green pepper & celery/beans in slow cooker
- stir in chicken broth, leaving 1 cup aside for later
- cover and cook on LOW for 2 hours
*Quick Tip - prep all of this (less the broth) the night before and then add the broth first thing in the AM. Let the veggies cook while you get ready for work & then move onto the next step right before you leave. By the time you get home - dinner! Voila!*

AFTER 2 HRS:

- in large bowl combine flour & remaining 1 cup of broth. Stir until smooth & stir into slow cooker
- add chicken, potato, mushrooms & spices
- cover and cook 4 hours or until veggies are tender and chicken is no longer pink
- just prior to serving, stir in heavy cream to thicken

*This makes 4 to 6 servings and is very hearty.

ENJOY!

~ The Lazy Gourmet