Chicken & Rice Casserole
King Ranch Chicken Casserole
Macaroni Pie Casserole
Open-Kitchen Conundrum
During this quarantine, my kitchen has taken on an always ‘open for business’ status. Someone is constantly wanting to eat or eating. And, someone else is continually cooking or cleaning up (me). Casseroles are one easy way to streamline cooking, eating and cleaning up.
What Is a Casserole Anyway?
A casserole is any food that is cooked (typically baked) and served in the same dish. A clean-up dream, to me! Casseroles can use any meat or vegetable and usually include a starchy binder and cheese.
Debunking Casserole Myths
There are tons of delicious one-dish, crowd-pleasing casseroles out there! Below are 3 classically good casserole recipes for you to try.
Campbell’s One Dish Chicken & Rice Casserole
This was literally one of the first dinners I ever cooked! I remember doing it all by myself as a kid and being quite proud. It’s so easy, you can (probably) just hand this one over to your kids to make. It’s almost foolproof and kids love it!
Click here for Campbell’s recipe.
King Ranch Chicken Casserole
Having grown up in Texas, the King Ranch is legendary! The casserole named after the largest ranch in Texas. This dish was a treat in my house growing up. While I loved it as a child, it’s a bit too caloric for my adult self. Here is a delicious (healthier) version from Erin at Well Plated.
Macaroni Pie Casserole
This might be one of the best crowd-pleasing dishes ever. A friend from Trinidad gifted me her recipe years ago! The only unusual ingredient (for me anyway) here is the condensed milk, also called evaporated milk. I use California Farms Organic Evaporated brand.
Ingredients:
- 1 box elbow macaroni
- 1 12oz can of unsweetened condensed milk
- 1 egg
- 2 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese (Adjust cheese amounts to your taste. I love cheese!)
- 1 pat of butter
Preheat oven to 350-degrees.
Prepare 9” x 12” glass Pyrex baking dish with non-stick spray.
Make the elbow macaroni according to package.
Mix cooked elbow macaroni, 1 ¾ cup shredded cheese, egg, condensed milk and pat of butter.
Pour mixture into the dish. Sprinkle remaining cup of shredded cheese on top.
Bake for about 30 minutes until golden brown.
Check bottom to make sure not getting to baked (or burned).
Let sit for about 10 minutes before serving.
One Dish Wonders.
Get multiple meals from these one-dish wonders. Casseroles are a marvelous way to cook once, in one dish, and enjoy eating many times! Stay safe and enjoy your time with your family both in and out of the kitchen.
