Let me preface this by saying that this skillet is horrible for you. But darn if it isn't absolutely delicious...

Bethany and Randall's
Sausage and Potato Breakfast Skillet
Serves 4-6

28 oz package of potatoes O'Brien
1 lb of sausage
1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
4 oz can of mushrooms

Brown potatoes according to directions; salt and pepper to taste. In a second skillet, brown sausage. Layer potatoes, mushrooms, and sausage in a 2 1/2 quart casserole dish, cover with cheese. Heat at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until cheese is hot and bubbly.

Chicken Tetrazzini
Serves 6-8

8 oz of sliced canned mushrooms
3 Tbsp of butter
1/4 cup flour*
1 3/4 cup milk
2 cups of low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup of white wine
12 oz of spaghetti*
2 lbs of chopped cooked chicken
1 cup cooked sweet peas
2/3 cup grated Parmesan
1/3 cup breadcrumbs*

Cook the mushrooms in the butter over moderate heat in a saucepan. Stir in flour and simmer for 3 minutes, stirring frequently until thickened. Add in milk, chicken broth, wine, bringing to a boil. Simmer sauce for 5 minutes.

Cook spaghetti and drain well.

Combine spaghetti, the sauce, chicken, and peas in a large bowl; salt and pepper to taste. Stir in 1/3 cup of the Parmesan, and transfer the mixture to a buttered large casserole dish. Cover Tetrazzini with remaining Parmesan and bread crumbs. Bake Tetrazzini for 30-40 minutes at 375 degrees or until top is golden. Let sit several minutes for the liquid to thicken and absorb.

A Note From Bethany...
*Gluten-free flour, pasta, and breadcrumbs may be substituted.

This recipe is one that I've modified from several different squash casserole recipes to make gluten-free. Zucchini can also be used (2 lbs of zucchini combined with 2 lbs of yellow squash, although I have always used just squash.) This recipe is one that you'll either love or hate; I make this for my slightly-reluctant husband to try and get more vegetables in our diet. It makes a great side dish and is perfect for church potlucks. Isn't that somethin'?

Lowfat Squash Casserole

4 lbs of sliced yellow squash
1/2 onion, chopped
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
8 oz lite sour cream
1 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp pepper
2 large eggs, whisked
2 1/2 cups of breadcrumbs*

2 tbsp butter or margarine, melted Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook yellow squash and onion in boiling water for 8 minutes or just until tender; drain squash mixture well. Mix squash and onions, half of the cheddar cheese, sour cream, garlic salt, pepper and eggs in a mixing bowl. Spoon into a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish.

In a separate bowl, stir together melted butter and breadcrumbs.

Cover casserole with remaining cheddar and Parmesan cheese; spread breadcrumb mixture over top of casserole with a fork.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes

A Note From Bethany...
*Gluten-free breadcrumbs can be used. Since they tend to be expensive, I've also used crumbled gluten-free nacho chips to add a bit of extra flavor.

Noodles and Swiss Cheese

8 oz pkg of egg noodles
1/2 lb grated Swiss cheese
1 Tbsp of onion juice
1 tsp of Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup of melted margarine
1 pt of sour cream
1/2 cup of buttered crumbs*

Cook egg noodles in salted water and drain. Add Swiss cheese while noodles are still hot. Add onion juice, Worcestershire sauce, and butter. Cool.

Combine with sour cream; mix lightly and thoroughly. Place in casserole dish and top with buttered crumbs. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

A Note From Bethany...
*Gluten-free bread crumbs can be used.

Here's a recipe from a friend of my parents, Marilee, that dates back to my childhood. And, hey, it may get your kids to eat broccoli!

Italian Broccoli Casserole
Serves 6-8

2 10 oz packages of cut broccoli
2 beaten eggs
1 can of cheddar cheese soup
1/2 tsp of dried oregano
8 oz of stewed tomatoes, cut up
3 Tbsp of Parmesan cheese

Cook frozen broccoli in unsalted boiling water for 5-7 minutes or until tender; drain well. Combine eggs, cheddar cheese soup and oregano. Stir in stewed tomatoes and cooked broccoli. Turn the vegetable-cheese mixture into a 10 x 6 baking dish, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Bake casserole uncovered for 350 degrees for about 30 minutes.

Chicken Noodle Casserole

2 large chicken breasts, cooked, cooled, and diced
8 oz. package of noodles, cooked in the chicken broth (rinse and strain)

CHEESE SAUCE:
4 Tbsp of butter
2 Tbsp of flour
1 tsp of salt
1/2 tsp of dry mustard
2 cups of scalded milk
2 cups of grated cheddar cheese

Alternate layers of the chicken and noodles in a large casserole or 9 X 13 inch baking dish. Combine sauce ingredients and cook over low heat until smooth. Pour over chicken and noodles and bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.

This is a casserole my mom made a lot growing up. I'm not sure where she got it, but judging by the design on the recipe card, it dates back at least to the late 80s in Germantown, where my days in kindergarten were punctuated by afternoons at Love Is A Hug Preschool and trips to see Miss Gratia at the public library.  We always used Campbell's Cream of Chicken Soup growing up, but since Celiac's disease now runs in my family, I am posting some modifications below.  Check it out and see if your family doesn't love it, too!

Chicken Broccoli Casserole

1 package of chopped broccoli, chopped and drained
2 whole chicken breasts (1 whole fryer or 3 lb legs/thighs cooked*
2 tsp lemon juice
1 can of cream of chicken soup (or gluten free)
1/2 tsp curry powder
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup (20 oz) sharp cheddar
1/2 cup regular or gluten free bread crumbs

Remove skin and bones from cooked chicken and cut into large pieces. In bottom of 2 quart casserole dish, place cooked/drained broccoli. Cover with chicken pieces.

Mix lemon juice, soup, curry, and mayonnaise. Pour over chicken and broccoli.

Cover with cheese and top with bread crumbs. Bake for 350 degrees for 1 hour or until bubbly.

A Note From Bethany...
*Turkey may be substituted.

This began as a simple casserole recipe which I've adapted over the years--the original called for cream of chicken soup; when I made it for the first time years ago, cream of celery was all I had in the house and I've used it ever since. Sometimes I've used chicken breast tenders, sometimes chicken breasts. The result has been virtually the same. This is a classic chicken and rice casserole, paradoxically easy yet fussy to make (see my notes at the bottom of this post), and a family favorite. It takes a rather long time to make in comparison to many other mid-century casseroles featured on my blog; so pop it in, do some housework, have a glass of wine, and check on it in an hour!

Cheddar Chicken and Rice
Serves 4

4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 cups of uncooked rice
1 1/2 cups of shredded cheddar*
1/2 tsp of salt
1 tsp of pepper
1 can of cream of celery soup**
3 cups of water
1 envelope of Lipton onion soup mix***

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 9 x 13 pan with cooking spray. Layer rice, 1 cup of cheese, and salt and pepper in pan. Place chicken on top. Dab cream of celery soup on top of the chicken and rice. Pour on soup mix and as much of the water as pan will hold. Bake uncovered for 1 hour, adding the rest of the water if completely absorbed. Bake for approximately 1/2 hr more or until all of the water is absorbed. Top with remaining cheddar, bake for 15 more minutes or until the cheese has melted.

A Note From Bethany...
Less water may be used depending on how the casserole bakes in your particular oven. Sometimes I've needed to use all of the water as it is absorbed during cooking, and mysteriously, other times only about 2 1/2 cups is required. The cooking times for me vary each time I make it, as they have for years. One thing is certain--cook for at least an hour, and frequently observe during the remaining cooking time to judge water absorption.

*I often use low-fat cheddar.

**Many condensed cream soups, including the ubiquitous Campbell's, contain gluten. Although there are creamed soups on the market that are specifically gluten free, I have never tried them with my recipes, so I can't speak to how they compare. I also often use the cream of celery soup from the the lower sodium line of Campbell's products.

***Careful, Lipton's onion soup mix is not gluten-free! For a recipe on how to make an all-natural gluten-free version, please check out this link!

I lived in North Dakota, (my first generation Russian German great aunt Helen's homestate) for six years, from 1990 until 1996. During that time, I was introduced to this glorious recipe called Tater Tot Hotdish.  Along with kuchen, fleischkuekle, knoephla, and stop sign pizza (that last one isn't regional--it's just the greatest food EVER when you're in first grade) this recipe defines my brief time in North Dakota in every possible way.  (At that young age, there were three ways to know you were going to have an awesome day at Prairie View Elementary School--1) there was a parachute in the gym, 2) the TV was pulled into the classroom for a film, or 3)Tater tot hotdish was on the lunch menu.)  

There are many variations of this, but here's the version I have in my recipe box:

Tater Tot Hotdish
Serves 4-6

1 lb of lean ground beef
1 lb bag of tater tots
2 10-ounce cans of condensed cream of mushroom soup
14 ounce can of vegetables of your choice (corn is often used; I prefer peas and carrots)
2 cups of cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. While it's preheating, brown and drain beef. In a 2.5 quart casserole dish, layer beef, drained vegetables, soup mix (don't add water to this!), and tater tots. Bake uncovered for 40 minutes. Remove from oven; top with cheese. Bake for 10 minutes longer.

A Note From Bethany...
To make this recipe lower in fat, I use low sodium cream of mushroom soup. Some versions also use turkey in place of beef. I also use a lower fat sharp cheddar cheese made with 2% milk. (Some versions of the recipe omit it entirely). It won't make it a health food by any means, but it'll help cut down on the guilt!

Here's another casserole my mom used to make growing up.  I never liked eggs or mayo, but somehow it works with this recipe.

Noodle Egg Bake
Serves 4

3 cups of wide noodles
1 can of condensed cream of celery soup
1/4 cup of milk
1/4 cup of mayo or Miracle Whip
1 tsp Worchestershire sauce
3-4 boiled eggs, shelled and sliced
3 Tbsp of Parmesan cheese

Cook noodles, drain, and place in a greased 4 cup baking dish (9" glass pie plate or medium sized casserole dish.

Combine celery soup, mayo, and Worcestershire sauce in a small saucepan.  Heat slowly and stir until smooth and hot. Stir 1/2 over the noodles.

Place egg slices over noodle mixture. Spoon the rest of the sauce over the eggs. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top. 

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until bubbly.

I started making this recipe when I lived in my tiny one bedroom apartment in downtown Durham while I attended college.  It's inexpensive, easy to make, and tastes delicious.  This is a great main course dish, or something easy to take to a potluck.  I've seen variations of this recipe throughout the years, but this is the one that I've always loved best.

Pepperoni Pasta Bake

3/4 lbs (12 oz) of rotini pasta
16 oz (2 cups) of mozzarella cheese
4 oz can of mushrooms
4 oz can of sliced black olives
24 oz jar of spaghetti sauce
6 oz of pepperoni
16 ounces of ground sausage, browned

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Brown ground sausage until thoroughly cooked; drain. Boil pasta according to directions and spread evenly in a 2 quart casserole dish. Stir in sausage, black olives, mushrooms, and spaghetti sauce and mix evenly.  Take half of the cheese and pepperoni and mix in. Line the top of the casserole with pepperoni, then cover with remaining cheese.  

Bake for around 20 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and has started to brown on edges.

A Note From Bethany...
You may need to use more pasta sauce depending on taste. I generally use most of the package of pepperoni, but you can use less if you'd like. Sometimes I add chopped sauteed onions, depending on the time I have to make the casserole.