Here's one of our family favorites. Very versatile.

AMISH CHICKEN CASSEROLE

8 oz. noodles (your favorite size)
2 cups cooked and cubed chicken
2 cups chicken broth (homemade or canned)
1 cup milk
1 small can mushrooms (I use pieces and stems)
2 tsp. salt (or slightly less to taste)
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 cup butter
1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Cook noodles according to package directions; drain. Preheat oven to 350 F. Melt margarine, then whisk in flour until smooth. Gradually add milk and broth (separately or can be mixed); then stir in seasonings and mushrooms. Combine chicken, cooked noodles and prepared sauce. Put in ungreased 9x13" baking pan and top with Parmesan cheese. Bake for 20 minutes.

This can be made ahead and heated when needed but will take slightly longer to heat completely through. I have also made this in the microwave--microwave on 80% power for about 10 minutes if freshly made, longer if from refrigerator.

Optional: You can add whatever vegetables your family especially likes. We like the original version better and have the vegetables on the side along with salad.

PORK & CARROT CASSEROLE

2 Tbs. salad oil
1 to 1 ½ lbs. pork pieces, cut into 1 inch chunks
2 large carrots, peeled
1 medium onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce
¾ cup water
½ cup lightly packed chopped celery leaves
1 Tbs. brown sugar
3 Tbs. dry red wine
1 tsp. salt (or less to taste
¼ tsp. pepper

In skillet over high heat, brown pork cubes in oil, stirring frequently. With slotted spoon, remove meat to 1 ½ qt. casserole.

Meanwhile, cut each carrot crosswise into thirds, then lengthwise into thin slices. Cut onion in half crosswise, then lengthwise into thin slices.

Preheat over to 350. In drippings remaining in skillet over medium heat, cook carrots and onions until lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Add remaining ingredients and heat to boiling, stirring to loosen any brown bits from bottom of skillet. Pour sauce into casserole with meat, stirring to mix. Cover casserole and bake 45 minutes to one hour, or until meat is tender.

Good served with mashed potatoes or egg noodles.

Isn't lasagna a casserole? And chicken divan?
And this one...
Chicken casserole funeral lunch
Recipe for the sauce:
1 cup finely chopped onion sautéed in ½ cup butter and ¼ cup olive oil, add 1 cup flour, 2 cups chicken broth and 2 cups milk ( actually a little more milk) 1 tsp garlic powder, 2 tsp Worcestershire, a handful of chopped fresh parsley, 8 oz cream cheese and about ½ cup of grated Parmesan, juice of a fresh lemon. I made 3 times that recipe for 8 casseroles.
Each casserole contained:
3 rounded cups cubed meat,
½ cup red pepper strips
½ cup green pepper strips
2 T chopped green onions
¼ cup chopped celery
2/3 cups carrot buttons blanched
2 cups broccoli florets, blanched
4 rounded cups cooked pasta
And about 4 cups of the sauce
Top with crumbs and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese and bake at 350 until hot through outabout 1 hour if cold from the refrigerator, or 20 minutes if the pasta and veggies ands auce are warmw hen you put it into the oven.
If the casserole is cold, cover with foil while baking.
Make ½ the sauce recipe for 1 casserole which will serve 6 to 8 as a main course.20 as a lunch with salad.

linda.... YUM!! That sounds like a wonderful casserole (and already has veggies in it!!). I'm putting this one on my list of dishes to cook at the beach with the family.

Thanks for sharing.

Rachels Veggie Casserole

I make this two different ways, depending on my mood. I either precook the veggies quickly on a very hot grill so as to get grill marks but leave them only barely cooked, or I use raw vegetables without the grilling step.

It's very simple, and you need a fairly deep casserole dish.

Slice a variety of vegetables in a 1/4 inch slice. I like eggplant, zucchini, crookneck squash, mushrooms, asparagus (unsliced!). A layer of yam, sweet potato or regular potatoes is nice as well, generally I precook these a wee bit.

Sometimes I get a little jazzy and add a layer of other items, like artichoke hearts (from a jar) or if I am grilling, baby artichokes. Roasted red bell pepper, kale or other greens (especially if I have some left over that I cooked with bacon & red pepper flakes). Frozen peas or corn add some variety if I'm lacking that quality-this is a dish I usually make on the spur of the moment with whatever I have on hand. I only add onions if I'm grilling, as I don't care for the flavor they add without the char for some reason. If I want to up the protein ratio, I'll add a layer of garbanzo (or other) beans. If I've got fresh basil in the garden, a layer of leaves or two is very nice. If Ive some leftover lentils or Indian dal, Ill add a layer of that.

Anyway, you get the idea...it's veggie madness.

Alternating between layers of vegetables and cheese (mozz, Parm, pepperjack, or even blue), are layers of whatever tomato sauce I have on hand, whether it be home made or Classico from a jar.

Then I bake it until the cheese layer on top is hot and bubbling and a skewer pushed through the layers proves the veggies to be tender. If I grilled the veggies, I use a hotter oven, as I want the cheese to melt without the vegetables turning to mush, I'll also tend to put more of the cheese on the top layers for the same reason.

Anyway, it is a very pretty dish, with all the different vegetables, and very tasty too.

I make this one a lot. I don't add the cheese to the biscuits since they are fattening enough already.

Chicken, Biscuits n Gravy Casserole
From Every Day with Rachael Ray
April-May 2006

4 Servings
Prep Time: 20 min; Cook Time: 25 min
One medium to large rotisserie chicken
7 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for greasing the dish
8 ounces white mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 celery ribs, finely chopped
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground pepper
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 cups baking mix, such as Bisquick
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 425°. Butter a large casserole dish. Pull the meat off the chicken, shredding it with your fingers or a fork into the baking dish.

2. In a large skillet, melt 3 tablespoons of the butter over high heat. Add the mushrooms, onion and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are browned, about 6 minutes. Lower the heat to medium, sprinkle the flour into the skillet and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Stir in the chicken broth, bring to a simmer and cook, stirring, until thickened, about 2 minutes. Stir in 1/3 cup of the milk and simmer for 1 minute more. Remove the skillet from the heat, add the lemon juice, and add salt and pepper to taste. Pour the gravy over the chicken in the baking dish.

3. Melt the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter with the garlic.

4. Stir together the baking mix, the remaining 2/3 cup of milk and the cheese. Drop tablespoonfuls of the biscuit mixture on top of the casserole and brush with half of the garlic butter. Bake until the biscuits are golden brown, about 25 minutes, brushing them once or twice with the remaining garlic butter.

Don't have the recipe for it right now, but I LOVE the broccoli, ham, and cheese casserole that I came across a couple of years ago.

And this one...
Chicken casserole funeral lunch

Great name for dinner! I like to throw things together based on whatever's available in my fridge & pantry and call it "mish-mosh". Nathan doesn't much like that name so sometimes I call it "May's Deluxe Dinner". But "Chicken Casserole Funeral Lunch" has both of those beat hands down!

May, you have to know how I love your humor.

For those with no aversion to canned CofMS:

Sherried Chicken Casserole 4 boneless/skinless chicken breast cut up in chunks
3 cups cooked rice
8 oz shredded Swiss cheese
1 can cream of mushroom soup (I make my own since Sheshebop showed me how quickly you can make it)
1 jar Boston Market roasted chicken gravy
4 oz fresh sliced mushrooms
2 cups herb Stove Top stuffing mix
½ cup Sherry
½ cup melted butter
1 tbls butter
1 tsp garlic powered
2 tbls parsley

1. Pre-heat oven to 350
2. Sauté mushrooms in 1 tablespoon butter, garlic powder, and parsley
3. After about five minutes, stir soup into mushroom mixture and continue sautéing for 2 minutes
4. Turn heat off and add sherry, mix well
5. Put rice in greased baking dish
6. Arrange uncooked chicken pieces on top of rice
7. Top chicken with cheese slices
8. Pour soup mixture on top of cheese
9. Sprinkle dry stuffing mix on top of soup mixture
10. Drizzle melted butter over stuffing
11. Bake 45-55 minutes

Linda C - did you say GARLIC POWDER?!?!?!

While the original recipe I cut and pasted calls for garlic powder, I use roasted garlic mixed with one clove of fresh garlic. I use so much garlic that I roast a large batch and keep it handy in the refrigerator.

Yeah...I did...
But remember that is a funeral lunch casserole...recipe made to be followed by people who make Jello salad and use cream of mushroom soup out of a can.....this is a step up....but when I make it, I smash a couple of cloves of garlic, chop it up and add to the sauteeing onions.

I have 2 favorites... the measures are really "suggestions" ( I don't measure these, so I guessed in order to document them) ...

but here they are:

Meemo's Italian Delight
(Meemo was my Grandmother, and she was definitely not Italian, and neither is this casserole... but that's what she called this recipe, so that's what we call it!! My apologies to the anti-soup crowd, but I'm not sure how to duplicate the taste from scratch... And yes, the more cheddar the better LOL)

1.5 lb ground beef
1 medium onion chopped
3 cloves of garlic chopped
2 can Campbells Tomato Soup
1 tsp chili powder (or more if you like)
4 cups cooked egg noodles
1 pound cheddar cheese

Brown hamburger with onion and garlic. Add tomato soup and chili powder to cooked hamburger.
In casserole dish, layer meat, noodles, cheese, ending with cheese (I usually end up with 3 layers and usually start with an extra noodle layer for the bottom)
Bake in 350 oven for 30-45 minutes

and

Sarah's Chicken Artichoke Casserole for Company
(Sarah is my mom)

6 boneless skinless chicken breasts (halves)
1 pound of sliced mushrooms (or less, if you prefer)
1 tbs chopped garlic (or 4-6 cloves, chopped)
1 small jar of artichoke hearts, chopped
about 3/4 c. white wine
about 2 1/2 cups of chicken broth.

dredge boneless skinless chicken breasts in flour and sauté in skillet until slightly brown. Place in casserole dish.
sauté sliced mushrooms and chopped garlic in olive oil. Add chopped artichoke hearts. (I sometimes add a little of the artichoke oil).
Cover chicken breasts with broth/wine/mushrooms/artichokes, I use enough liquid to not quite cover the chicken breasts the proportions of broth to wine depend on your tastes; you could use all broth, or you could use 1/2 wine and 1/2 broth....
Bake 30-45 min in 350 oven

Nothing at all wrong with garlic powder.

Here's a couple more, including one for a broccoli/rice casserole.

Becky

* Exported from MasterCook *

Broccoli Rice Casserole

Recipe By :Taste of Home
Serving Size : 10 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 small onion -- chopped
1/2 cup celery -- chopped
10 ounces frozen broccoli -- chopped
1 tablespoon butter
8 ounces processed American cheese
10 3/4 ounces cream of mushroom soup, condensed
5 ounces evaporated milk
3 cups cooked rice

In a large skillet over medium heat, saute onion, celery and broccoli in butter for 3-5 minutes. Stir in cheese, soup and milk until smooth. Place rice in a greased 8 inch square baking dish. Pour cheese mixture over; do not stir. Bake, uncovered, at 325F for 25-30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
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NOTES : Can use steamed fresh broccoli and regular milk instead.

* Exported from MasterCook *

Poulet De France

Recipe By :Adapted from Once a Month Cooking
Serving Size : 8 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 package seasoned stuffing crumbs -- about 2 1/2 cups
1 stick butter -- melted
2 cups chicken broth
3 cups diced cooked chicken
1/2 cup onion -- chopped
1/2 cup celery -- finely chopped
1/2 cup mayonnaise
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 cup cheddar cheese -- shredded, or more

Mix together the stuffing, butter, and 1 cup broth according to package
directions. Stir together the chicken, remaining cup of broth, onion,
celery, mayonnaise, and salt.

Spread half of the stuffing into the bottom of a 13 x 9" baking dish.
Add
the chicken mixture. Top with the remaining stuffing. Whisk together
the
eggs, milk and mushroom soup and pour evenly over the top.

Freeze with the cheese in a bag attached. When thawed, bake, covered,
for
40 minutes at 325. After 30 minutes, sprinkle with cheese and continue
to
bake, uncovered, for the last 10 minutes.
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* Exported from MasterCook *

Tamale Pie

Recipe By :Marilyn Chatham
Serving Size : 12 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 pound ground beef
1 can corn -- undrained
1 can whole olives -- drained
3/4 cup onion -- chopped
2 teaspoons cumin
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 can chili Las Palmas (large size)
1 dozen corn tortillas
3 tablespoons cornmeal
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
garlic powder
salt
pepper

Brown meat, onion and spices - add cornmeal and chile powder. Add corn and liquid, cheese and olives. In 9 x 13 pan, alternate mixture with corn tortillas - cover all with sauce. Cover and bake 30 minutes at 350F. Take out, mix well until all tortillas are in pieces. Return to oven and bake 30 minutes more, covered.
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Three generations in our family love this easy casserole. Growing up, my sisters and I called it "that stuff" as in "make that stuff, Mom."

Hamburger Cheese Noodle Bake

30 min : 10 min prep

SERVES 4

1 lb hamburger
2 teaspoons minced onions
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon sugar
16 ounces tomato sauce
3 ounces cream cheese
8 ounces sour cream
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 (8 ounce) package noodles, cooked and drained
Brown hamburger, onions, and spices until cooked.
Add tomato sauce and simmer 15 minutes.
Mix cream cheese and sour cream.
In 2-quart casserole, put 1/3 noodles, 1/3 cream mix, 1/3 meat mix.
Repeat twice.
Sprinkle cheddar on top.
Bake at 350° for 20 minutes.

I'm not a huge fan of casseroles, mostly because if there's only me it takes FOREVER to eat a casserole and if I freeze some then there's that issue with my lack of freezer space.

One of our favorite "casseroles" when the girls were both at home was Shepherd's Pie. I always made sure to make extra mashed potatoes when we were having some, so I could make Shepherd's pie the next night.

Shepherd's Pie

1 lb ground
beef
1 onion chopped
1-2 cups vegetables - chopped carrots, corn, peas (I usually just used some out of a bag of mixed frozen veggies)
1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup beef broth
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Salt, pepper, other seasonings of choice

Leftover mashed potatoes, at least a couple of cups

Brown ground beef and onions over medium heat. Sprinkle with flour and stir for a few minutes to allow the flour to brown a bit. Add broth and stir until thickened, then add the vegetables.

Season to taste with salt and pepper and worcesterchire sauce and cook, uncovered, over low heat for about 5 minutes, adding more beef broth as necessary to keep moist.

Place beef mixture in baking dish. Distribute mashed potatoes on top.

Bake at 400F until bubbling and brown (about 30 minutes).

Serves four.

Annie

This is from when my kids were at home . . . and they now make it for their families. DH and I still enjoy it. It goes together quickly because there's no browning or precooking of any ingredient. I mix everything but the elbows in my mixer, then throw them in and run it for another few seconds.

Don't be put off by the black olives. I've taken this to church suppers where people are very suspicious of them. I just use a smaller can and chop them fine and they sort of disappear. Lots of people who've asked for the recipe have been surprised at the ingredient list.

If your family doesn't like little tomato chunks, run them through the blender.

I think this originally came from La Leche League's cookbook called "Mother's in the Kitchen."

California Casserole

1 lb. hamburger, raw
1 chopped onion
1 diced green pepper
¾ lb. shredded sharp Cheddar cheese (or any yellow cheese)
½ lb. (1½ c.) raw elbow macaroni
2 tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
16 oz. can diced tomatoes, including juice
sliced or chopped black olives as many as you want I use a big can!
Combine all ingredients and mix well. Bake in covered casserole for 2 hours at 325; uncover for the last 30 minutes if desired. This is a meat-loaf type of dish.

Ooops! Add a small bunch of chopped green onions to that Hamburger Cheese Noodle Bake recipe. You mix them in with the cream cheese and sour cream and the dish is just not the same without the green onions!
Teresa

Is lasagna a casserole? Our favorite is spinach or eggplant lasagna. Also we love the Greek casserole, eggplant moussaka.
Clare

We like this one. Except you know I have to add a sprinkle of a good cheese on top!

Chicken and Artichoke Casserole

Cook Time: 45 minutes
Ingredients:
4 chicken breast halves, boneless, skinned
4 tablespoons butter
8 ounces sliced fresh mushrooms
1 jar (14oz) marinated artichokes, drained
2 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
Preparation:
In a skillet, brown chicken lightly in the butter. Transfer the chicken to a baking dish. Add mushrooms to skillet and saute for a few minutes, until lightly browned; remove and spoon over the chicken pieces. Place drained artichoke hearts on the chicken pieces. Add flour to the remaining butter and stir to blend. Add broth and cook until thickened; pour over chicken. Bake the casserole at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes.
Serves 4.

Here is a pretty decent recipe site about casseroles.