Breakfast Casserole Perfect for Easter! But Since I'm Late, It's Also Perfect ANYTIME!

10 slices of bread with crusts cut off and cubed
1 lb hot pork sausage, cooked, drained, and crumbled (Sissies might want mild sausage)
1/2 C shredded cheddar
1/2 C shredded swiss cheese
1 small can mushrooms

Mix the above ingredients and place in a 9 X 13 pan.

6 beaten eggs
1 C milk
1 C light cream (I usually just add another cup of milk to save a little on the calories.)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Pour over the bread mixture. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees.

Enchilada Lasagna

1 1/2-2 pounds ground meat (or equivalent in shredded chicken, or textured tofu, sauteed mushrooms would work too)
18 soft corn tortillas, taco size (the small ones)
1 Large can (~28oz) Enchilada Sauce (I like Las Palmas red (good for kids, mild flavor) or green)
3 cups shredded cheese (Mexican blend works well, or you can use one smaller bag cheddar, one monterey jack)
1/4-1/2 red onion, chopped (optional)

Seasonings for the meat:
Use either a package of taco seasoning or

1/4 Cup Salsa (whatever you have in the fridge)
Hot sauce to taste (I like Tapatio, and use about 5 hearty shakes of the bottle)
Salt (shake a light covering over the pan)
Pepper (grind until you're happy)
Crushed/chopped garlic (optional, 1-2 cloves)
1/4-1/2 Cup water to dissolve salsa, etc. into the pan and meat

If you are going to cook chicken (2-3 large breasts or equivalent in dark/light meat) and then shred, add
1 can tomato sauce
and omit the water (don't use taco seasoning)

Brown/cook the meat, draining any excess liquid.

Preheat oven to 350F.

Grease or PAM the bottom and sides of a 9x13 baking dish.

Pour a bit of the enchilada sauce (ES) in the bottom to cover lightly.

Layer, overlapping, six tortillas into the bottom of the pan.
Apply a layer of meat for even coverage.
Top with an even layer of cheese to cover. (Insert sprinkling of onions here, if desired -- not so great with kids.)

Add six more tortillas, and cover with some of the ES, spreading out with the back of a large spoon (or spatula, whatevs).
Repeat meat and cheese layer.

Top with final six tortillas and remainder of enchilada sauce. Cover with a light layer of cheese (enough that it doesn't burn in the oven, but not so much that it's thick and goopy -- you want to see the edges of the tortillas and some sauce along the outside edges of the pan).

Bake for about 20 minutes (heated through) and the the dish is bubbling and cheese is melted.

Leftover meat and cheese can be used for taco night, burritos, etc.

You can do a version with black or pinto beans as part of the layers, but be careful that the layers don't get too thick, or you will overfill the pan.

Serve with [black beans and corn] Jennifer's Black Beans and Green Chiles and Mexican rice on the side.

Serves 6-12, depending on hunger, age/sex of guests, and pie slice size.

Let's all give VDog a hand for that tasty recipe! *a roar of applause from the crowd is heard*

Chicken Pot Pie

Yet another delicious submission from Impostor Mom! This one is great, and could come in very handy next month with all those Thanksgiving leftovers!

2-3 chicken breasts, boiled and shredded (also works with turkey)
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 bag frozen peas and carrots
1 cup bisquick
1 stick butter or margarine, melted
1 cup milk

Mix chicken, veggies, soup and broth together and pour into a non-stick sprayed casserole dish. Mix bisquick, butter and milk together and pour over chicken filling. Spread batter to the edge of the casserole. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 35 minutes or until the top is brown. Serve, salt and pepper and enjoy!

Three Cheese Eggplant Bake

1 medium to large eggplant
1/4 C Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
1 3/4 C Ricotta Cheese
1 1/2 C Mozzarella Cheese, shredded. 1/2 C reserved for topping
1/4 C Parmesan cheese
Salt and Pepper to taste
Marinara Sauce (see recipe)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray two cookie sheets with cooking spray. Cut skin off of eggplant and slice lengthwise into 1/8 inch strips. (Don't worry if you end up with short pieces of eggplant, you can combine these pieces together later.) Place the eggplant strips on cookie sheets and drizzle olive oil evenly over each piece. Salt and pepper to taste. Bake for 10 minutes, change positions of the cookie sheets (top to bottom/bottom to top shelf.) Bake an additional 5 minutes.

While the eggplant is baking, begin the marinara sauce and make the cheese filling. To make the filling, combine the ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan cheeses.

Spray an 11 X 7 casserole dish with cooking spray. Place 2-3 TB of filling at the end of each eggplant slice and roll up. Combine the smaller eggplant slices to make longer strips if needed. Place each roll-up in casserole dish. Spoon marinara sauce over each. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 C of mozzarella cheese over casserole. Bake for 30 minutes or until bubbly.

Serves 2-6, depending on your side dish. If you serve with pasta (which I don't because of my carb-phobic husband), this dish goes further.

Related Recipes: Marinara Sauce