Twisted Overnight Casserole

When I started this blog a couple years ago, my first post was in January and it featured casseroles. My Grandma John's Overnight Casserole. Below you will find a twist on GJ's Casserole.

Twisted Overnight Casserole

2 cups Rotelle Pasta
1 can Cream of Chicken Soup
1 can Cream of Celery Soup
One and a half soup cans of Low fat milk
2 teaspoons pimento
1 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon dried chives
1 tablespoon minced onion
A few shakes Lawry's Garlic Salt
a couple shakes ground red pepper
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese
2 cooked chicken breasts shredded

1 cup sharp cheddar cheese to top casserole and
1/2 cup buttered bread crumbs, crushed croutons, buttered cornflakes or smashed up cheese it. Use to top casserole the last 15-20 minutes of cooking time.

Combine soups, milk, pimentos, seasoning and cheeses in a medium bowl and stir. Add pasta and stir. Spray the bottom of a medium/large casserole dish with no stick cooking oil spray. Layer some pieces of chicken on the bottom. Spoon some of the soup mixture over chicken. Layer more chicken and then soup until all ingredients are used up.

Refrigerate overnight! Take out when ready to cook. Bake at 375 degrees F for an hour or until casserole is bubbly and cheese topping is melted.

Hee Hee Hee Macaroni and CHEESE

I love Macaroni and Cheese! I used to enjoy the boxed kind but as an adult, thankfully my tastes have matured a bit. I have tried many a recipe and with delight I have 2 recipes to share with you. I had a third to share but, in my messy hand written cookbook that I have had since I was 14 years old, I cannot seem to find it. That recipe has cottage cheese in it! I do not care for cottage cheese but when you blend it up in the Cuisinart with the seasonings and use it in the Mac & Cheese it is Divine.

I do not care for cream cheese either. Not in frosting or on a bagel. I know I am WeIrD! But it ends up that cream cheese is not too bad in Macaroni and cheese. This recipe is modeled after a recipe in Southern Living by Heather Markowski.

CREAMY ITALIAN MACARONI AND CHEESE Serves 6-8

1 pound cooked rigatoni noodles
2 Tbsp. butter
3 Tbsp. flour
1- 12 oz can evaporated milk
1 cup 2% milk
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup shredded Cheddar Cheese
3 oz. cream cheese
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. dried Italian seasonings
1/8 tsp. coarse ground black pepper
1/2 pound cooked and chopped up bacon
2 green onions sliced

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter. Slowly add flour by tbsp. full and whisk, until all flour has been used and the mixture is smooth, about 1-2 minutes. Pour milk/s slowly into flour/butter mixture. Cook, being sure to whisk constantly until sauce thickens, about 3-5 minutes. Whisk in cheeses and seasonings. Remove from heat and stir in the bacon and sliced green onions.

In a large bowl or pasta pot from cooked pasta, mix pasta and cheese sauce together. Grease your casserole dish and bake in the oven for 30 minutes.

GARLIC MACARONI & CHEESE from my kitchen

1 pound cooked Trottole Pasta (its a cool curly noodle I found at Trader Joes)
1/2 tbsp. minced garlic
1/2 tsp. Lawry's Garlic Salt
1/4 cup melted butter
1/4 cup milk
8 oz. sour cream
1/4 cup grated Parmesan Reggiano
1/2 cup Perlini (tiny mozzarella balls, also a find at Trader Joes)
1 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup grated Sharp Cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In the pasta pot dump cooked pasta, melted butter, milk and minced garlic. Stir until well combined. Add Sour cream and stir. Slowly add different cheese until all cheeses are incorporated. Spray Casserole dish with cooking spray and bake covered for 30 minutes or until cheese is bubbly.