A post from Kelli–
As I’m sure many of you know, going back to work after a maternity leave is a bit difficult. Obviously it’s hard to leave Georgia, but adjusting to a whole new set of “needs” and “need to do’s” can be a bit taxing.
Back in April before Dad passed away, mom, dad, and I had a talk and decided that we were all willing to pitch in to get things worked out so that mom would be able to watch Georgia while I worked. The way things are now, I live about 35 minutes from Mom and then have another 30 to 35 minute drive to work…in the opposite direction.
At the time we knew that Dad probably wouldn’t be able to work like he had previously and he had mentioned that he would probably be able to meet me or Jason with Georgia a few times a week when I was working. We also talked about maybe meeting up in the morning if needed. We all had agreed that if nothing else, Dad getting sick had shown us all how family is really important and that we were willing to make sacrifices for important things–Like Georgie seeing mom and dad lots and being cared for by her Grandma!
Obviously things on the Dad front have changed, but Mom and I…and Kalissa and Jason and Jason’s mom Renee…have been working to still get things worked out so that Georgia can go to mom’s for childcare while I’m working.
With the extra driving and such, one thing that I’ve been working on is trying to make a supper that will feed both Jason and I for an evening meal and then at least one of us, if not both of us, for a lunch too. I’ve been scouring the internet and such for quick casseroles that are fairly decently priced to make, but still tasty and make a decent amount…without making too much.
I also have a picky eater..Jason..(cough, cough)…to please. Just the other day, he finally told me why he doesn’t like spaghetti and pizza–He doesn’t like tomato sauce! So as you know, that can complicate quite a few casserole type dishes.  I have found though that if it is more BBQ based he will eat it….Strange. I know.
So you can imagine how excited I was when I found this recipe for Bacon Cheeseburger Casserole!
The picture does not do it justice in regards to taste! It was AMAZING!!!!!
You can find the recipe HERE—
I made a few changes as I didn’t look at the recipe before going grocery shopping….I ended up using one pound of sausage and one of hamburger as we were running a bit low on hamburger when I made it. I also just used 2% milk in place of the whole milk and cream. I also just used whatever sliced cheese we had in the refrigerator–I think it was provolone and muenster. The last change that I made was that I added some pickle juice and cut up pickles to the meat sauce. I knew that Jason wouldn’t eat it with the lettuce and onion salad on top and I also knew that it would be hard to take it to work for lunch that way, but I still wanted a bit of the pickle taste.
As you can see, I made a few minor tweaks, but it was so good! And with any refrigerated pasta recipe, it tasted even more amazing the next day after spending the overnight in the refrigerator. Needless to say, it got 4 thumbs up–2 from me and 2 from Jason! I’ll definitely be making this one again!
Have you tried chicken spaghetti? Or King Ranch Chicken? There is a great recipe for Maple Mustard Turkey thighs but the Maple Mustard can be used with pork or chicken. Make a little dressing on the side and it is a delightful dinner with sliced turkey for sandwiches or salad.
Start with a 13×9 casserole. Take 2packages of chicken thigh tenders. Put chicken in prepared pan. Mix 1 cup 1 Parmesan cheese , I Cup Mayo. Spread this mixture over chicken. Sprinkle completely with panko seasoned bread crumbs. Back at 425° for 40 minutes. Cut one open to make sure it is thoroughly cooked. I will bet that your hubby will love this recipe. Serve with a veggie and a salad.
Kelli, Have you ever made the Bisquick recipe for cheeseburger pie? Super easy and you can tweak it any way you like. You can check it out on the Bisquick/Betty Crocker website. I’ve made it for years and it is still one of my hubby’s favorite–he even eats the leftovers for breakfast!
I’ve been making Shepherd’s pie for my family for years. You can make it ahead and just heat it up.
1 lb hamburger browned and drained
half a small onion, chopped and browned (if you chop this up small enough, maybe Jason won’t notice)
One can corn, drained, pour into bottom of casserole dish.
Combine hamburger and onion in pan. I use one of those gravy packets from the grocery with one cup water to add gravy to the mix. HEat up and then pour this mixture over the corn.
While you are cooking the meat, also cook a couple of potatoes and make mashed potatoes. Put the mashed potatoes on top of the mixture. Dot with butter and grated cheese. Heat up in over and there you go. Its all done. You can also use leftover mashed potatoes and if you make the casserole up ahead, just heat it all up for dinner.
Kelli, I’m married to a farmer who doesn’t like tomato based sauce either. So I use an Alfredo Sauce on homemade pizza and also in pasta dishes traditionally using a tomato based sauce. Really, really good!! Try it sometime and you might like, too!!
You should check out Plain Chicken! (http://www.plainchicken.com/) I’m the picky eater at our house and she has so many casserole recipes that we all love. She puts out a new recipe every Tuesday-Friday. Many can be frozen too, which this working mom of toddlers loves to do!