CrockPot Chili Cheese Chicken Tator Tot Casserole

Crock Pot Chili Cheese Chicken Tator Tot Casserole (try saying that 5 times fast!) was what the kiddos and I had for dinner yesterday.  My husband had a business trip, so I wanted to make something fun for the kids.  I've never made a tator tot casserole and I've been wanting to try this recipe for Cheesy Chicken Tator Tot Casserole from The Country Cook.  I decided to make a few changes like adding some chili seasoning.  I like chili cheese fries and thought maybe I could bring those flavors to this tator tot casserole.  I hope my version will be "kid approved!"

Ingredients (printable recipe)
1 (32 oz.) bag frozen tator tots (I used a 38 oz. bag---20% more free!)
9 slices of cooked bacon, crispy and crumbled
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced
2 Tablespoons chili seasoning mix
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (we like sharp cheddar)
3/4 cup milk (I used 1% milk)
cooking spray
Directions
1. Spray crock pot with nonstick cooking spray. Lay half of the frozen tater tots on the bottom of the crock pot. Sprinkle with 1/3 of the crumbled bacon. Now top with 1/3 of the shredded cheese.
2. Add diced chicken on top. Sprinkle the chili seasoning on top of chicken. Add another 1/3 of crumbled bacon and top with another 1/3 of shredded cheese.
3. Put the rest of the frozen tater tots on top. Finish with remaining 1/3 of shredded cheese and 1/3 of crumbled bacon.
4. Pour 3/4 cup milk all over the top. Cover and cook on low about 4-6 hours.

Notes: Newer crock pots cook hotter than older crock pots. So, if using a newer crock pot, check at 4 hours. Older crock pots may take longer. My crock pot is older (11 yrs. old) and it took a little over 5 hours to cook. ***You want to make sure the chicken is cooked thoroughly to 165 degrees F.

Adapted from The Country Cook

Start with spraying the crock pot. You'll be happy you did this first when it comes time to clean-up!

Half of the frozen tator tots 

1/3 of the shredded cheese and 1/3 crumbled bacon 

Add the diced chicken and sprinkle the chili seasoning on top 

This is the chili seasoning I used. I didn't use the whole package, just 2 Tablespoons. I think that was about the right amount.

Another 1/3 shredded cheese and 1/3 crumbled bacon

The rest of the frozen tator tots

The remaining shredded cheese and crumbled bacon. It's a messy job!

Pour the milk on top

It took a little over 5 hours in my crock pot to cook the chicken thoroughly. It's ready to eat!

The Results...
Did the kids approve?  Yes, they did!  My 5 yr. old was the biggest fan of this casserole (and she's a tough critic!).  My 2 yr. old also liked this casserole.  My teenager and 9 yr. old gave this recipe 3 1/2 stars (out of 5).  I thought this was a tasty tator tot casserole, too.  I liked the extra flavor from the chili seasoning and the chicken helped turn this into a meal.  I am glad we also had a salad to balance out the richness of the melted cheese, bacon and tator tots.

This casserole isn't just for kids.  This is easy to make and yummy fall comfort food.  Since it cooks in the crock pot, you can easily take this along to your fall parties.  Doesn't every party need some bacon, cheese and tator tots. :)  Enjoy!


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Chicken Spinach Artichoke Lasagna

If you're looking for a quick dinner, this isn't it.  I'm not gonna lie.  You'll need to plan on spending some time in the kitchen to make Chicken Spinach Artichoke Lasagna.  I had a free afternoon this week and decided to give this recipe a try. 

Ingredients (printable recipe)
9-10 lasagna noodles
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup diced onion
4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into cubes
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
salt and pepper
2 (14 oz.) cans artichoke hearts, well-drained
2 cups ricotta cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided (I used a mix of mozzarella and provolone)
1 beaten egg
1/2 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
3 cups fresh spinach leaves, stems removed
Sauce:
4 Tablespoons butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
dash of nutmeg
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper
Directions
1. If using dried lasagna noodles, prepare them according to package directions and set aside.
2. In a large skillet heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, chicken, Italian seasoning and season with salt and pepper.
3. Cook stirring occasionally until chicken is cooked through. Cut the artichokes in half and then in half again, dry off any moisture with paper towels. Stir them into the chicken and cook 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
4. In a large mixing bowl combine the ricotta, 1 1/2 cups of mozzarella, the egg, and parsley.
5. Make stacks out of the spinach leaves and cut them into thin strips (chiffonade). Mix them into the ricotta mixture---it will be thick.
Make the Sauce:
6. In a large, heavy duty saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour and cook about 3 minutes, whisking often. Slowly whisk in milk. Turn heat up and bring to a simmer.
7. Maintain a simmer for about 4 minutes, stirring often. Turn heat down to low and stir in nutmeg, Parmesan cheese and a pinch or two each of salt and pepper, continue stirring until cheese is melted. Remove from heat.
Assemble the Lasagna:
8. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Butter a 9x13 inch baking dish.
9. Add a very thin layer of sauce over bottom of pan, then a layer of noodles covering the bottom completely from edge to edge. Spread 1/2 the ricotta mixture evenly from edge to edge, then top with 1/3 of the chicken artichoke mixture followed by 1/3 of the sauce.
10. Cover the filling with another layer of noodles followed with the remaining ricotta mixture, 1/3 of the chicken and 1/3 of the sauce.
11. Cover with another layer of noodles followed by the remaining sauce, the remaining chicken mixture and the 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese.
12. Bake 45-50 minutes until bubbly and hot in the middle. If the top starts to get too brown, tent with aluminum foil. Allow to set 10 minutes before cutting into squares and serving.

Adapted from Cinnamon Spice and Everything Nice

I used dried lasagna noodles. I prepared them according to their package directions first and set them aside. I sprayed a baking sheet with cooking spray and put the lasagna noodles on top. I also sprayed between each layer of noodles to keep them from sticking to each other.

The chicken and artichoke mixture.

The ricotta and spinach mixture.

Homemade sauce. Now, it's time to start assembling.

I lightly buttered the baking dish and spread a thin layer of sauce on the bottom.

Lasagna noodles.

Ricotta and Spinach mixture.

Chicken and artichokes mixture and more sauce.

More noodles.

Ricotta and Spinach again.

Chicken and Artichokes.

More Sauce.

Noodles one more time.

The rest of the sauce.

The rest of the chicken and Artichoke mixture.

Sprinkle some cheese on top and it's ready for the oven.

Baked, bubbly hot and toasty on top. Don't forget to let it set about 10 minutes before serving.

The Results...
Was the extra time spent in the kitchen worth it?  Yes, it was!  Everyone liked this different version of lasagna.  I heard 3 1/2 to 4 stars (out of 5) for this recipe.  My husband really liked this lasagna.  He gave it 4 stars and had 4 servings!  The kids gave this recipe 3 1/2 stars.  They thought it was good, but they prefer traditional lasagna with tomato sauce.   

We love creamy spinach and artichoke dip and this lasagna had similar flavors in it along with tender pieces of chicken and homemade alfredo sauce.  Chicken Spinach Artichoke Lasagna is worth the extra effort!


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Creamy Ham and Cheese Pasta

We had a huge ham for Easter dinner this year.  Of course that meant lots of dinners made with leftover ham.  I would usually freeze some of the leftover ham, but I've had this huge ham in my freezer since Christmas and I really didn't want to put anymore of it back in there.  So, I decided to come up with lots of different ways to use all that leftover ham and hope my family would hang in there until it was gone.

I used ham in omelets, on top of pizza, in sandwiches, in homemade egg "Mcmuffins."  Then, I made a creamy ham gravy that I poured over biscuits for dinner.  My 8 yr. old daughter cried when she sat down for dinner that night.  Cried!  She managed to eat most of her dinner, but I knew I was losing her.  I had enough ham for one more dinner.  That's when I decided to try this recipe for Creamy Ham and Cheese Pasta.  One more ham dinner...........Will my family survive?  Will there be more tears?

Ingredients (printable recipe)
1 package (16 ounces) pasta 
2 1/2 cups cubed fully cooked ham
1 1/2 cups baby portabello mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups milk
handful or two of fresh spinach
1 cup shredded mozzarella/provolone cheese
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Directions
Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute ham and mushrooms in butter. Stir in flour and salt until well blended. Gradually add milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir until thickened.

Reduce heat. Stir in spinach and cheese. Cook and stir until cheese is melted. Drain pasta; stir ham mixture into pasta. 
Makes 6 servings.

Adapted from Taste of Home

The Results...
3 out of 5 stars.  Not bad.  This was actually one of my better leftover ham dinners.  I adapted the original recipe quite a bit by using fresh mushrooms, fresh spinach, more milk and mozzarella instead of parmesan cheese.  Plus, I added some Italian seasoning.  Everyone thought it was pretty good and I had no complaints or tears at the dinner table.  We survived!


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Chicken Fajita Pie

We love chicken fajitas and we love pie. Why not combine them into a Chicken Fajita Pie!

Ingredients (printable recipe)
1 (10 inch) flour tortilla (burrito size)
2 cups cooked chicken, diced or shredded
3/4 cup chopped bell pepper (red, yellow, green, orange, whichever you like)
1/3 cup chopped red onion 
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves (I used a mini food processor)
2 large eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
freshly ground pepper to taste
cooking spray
Directions
1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees F. Spray a 9-inch pie plate. Press tortilla into prepared pie plate and spray lightly with more cooking spray. Toss chicken, chopped pepper, onion and 1 cup of shredded cheese in a large bowl until combined. Spread filling over tortilla.
2. Whisk eggs, milk, flour, baking powder, salt, pepper and cilantro in bowl until smooth. Slowly pour over filling. Then, sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake until surface is golden brown about 20-25 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve.

Adapted from The Girl Who Ate Everything and Cook's Country

I love that the crust is simply a large tortilla. So easy!

Here's the filling: chicken, chopped bell pepper and onion and cheese

I don't like chopping cilantro leaves. So, I put the leaves into a mini food processor and then added them to the egg, milk, flour mixture. I've used both whole milk and skim milk in this recipe. So, use whatever milk you have. One more tip: put your pie plate on a baking sheet covered with foil before pouring in this runny mixture. Helps if you happen to spill and makes it easier to pull this in and out of the oven. (Wish I hadn't forgot the foil. It makes clean-up so much easier.)

More cheese! Can you really ever have too much cheese?

The Results...
So easy to make!  We liked Chicken Fajita Pie.  My husband and son gave this about 3 stars (out of 5).  They both like their Mexican food spicy and I intentionally made this mild so everyone could enjoy it.  I could spice this up with some chopped jalapeno peppers.  Maybe next time I'll make two pies, one spicy and one mild.

My little girls were happy this was mild and full of cheese.  My 5 yr. old was the biggest fan and ate her entire slice of pie.  She gave this recipe 5 out of 5 stars!

“I’m partying at the Pi Day Pie Party at Crazy for Crust today. Come party with us!”

This recipe is featured at:
On the Menu Monday @ StoneGable
Show & Share Wednesday @ Semi Homemade Mom
Tasty Thursdays @ The Mandatory Mooch

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French Toast Casserole

We love French Toast for breakfast.  Sometimes we even have it for dinner.  When I found this recipe for French Toast Casserole, I thought this might be something my family would enjoy.  I like that this recipe looks simple to make with simple ingredients and I won't have to stand over the griddle making individual pieces of french toast.

Ingredients (printable recipe)
1 loaf French bread (about 10 cups) cut into 1-inch cubes
8 eggs
3 cups milk
4 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon salt
For the Topping:
2 Tablespoons butter or margarine, cubed
3 Tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Maple syrup or pancake syrup
Directions
Place bread cubes in a greased 9x13x2 baking dish. In a mixing bowl, beat eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla and salt. Pour over bread. Cover and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.

Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Dot with butter. Combine sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over top.

*Cover and bake at 350 degrees F. for 45-50 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Let stand 5 minutes. Serve with syrup.

*I realized after writing this post that I did not cover this casserole when I baked it. That's why it turned out toasty on top. I liked it toasty, but next time I want to cover and bake and see how it turns out that way, too.

Source Cooking.com

Helping Hands :)

Dig in!

The bottom is soft and custard-y, but the top is crispy and toasty

The Results...
French Toast Casserole was very simple to make.  It had a soft, custard-y bottom and a toasted cinnamon-sugar top.  We ate it warm with syrup drizzled on top. 
 
Most of us really liked this recipe.  I made this for breakfast during the week and my teenage son ate two servings before heading out to school.  When he came home from school he asked if there was anymore left that he could have for an after school snack.  My two little ones that aren't in school yet both loved this dish.  They ate this for breakfast and asked for more at lunchtime.  French Toast Casserole was a hit with these three kiddos.  I also thought it was tasty.

My 8 yr. old daughter didn't really like this dish.  She ate it, but she didn't enjoy it.  My husband hated it.  He couldn't even finish his French Toast Casserole.  He thought it was gross, but he also hates bread pudding or anything with soaked bread in it.  

Our family's opinion was divided on this recipe.  I still think it is worth a try.  If you give this recipe a try, let me know what side you're on..............................Love it or Hate it! :)   

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Bacon Ranch Chicken (or Turkey) Mac n Cheese

Happy New Year!  I hope you had a wonderful holiday!  We did and now we're all getting back to our normal schedules.  No more sleeping in.....Boo! 

It is great to be back with a new recipe to share with you.  I know a lot of us are making goals at this time of year to get in shape or at least eat healthier after consuming all those holiday treats.  This recipe doesn't sound healthy or light, but it originally comes from Cooking Light.  I plan on adapting this recipe by using ingredients that I already have on hand.  It won't turn out as light, but I hope it will be flavorful and still a little lighter than traditional Macaroni and Cheese.  Baby steps...  

Ingredients (printable recipe)
1 lb. box of uncooked elbow macaroni
4 slices bacon
16 oz or about 3 cups of cooked chicken or turkey, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
OR you can use uncooked skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
freshly ground pepper
2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons flour
3 cups fat free milk
2/3 cup condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella, provolone, parmesan mix or shredded Italian blend
2 teaspoons Ranch seasoning
cooking spray
1 cup shredded colby-jack cheese
Directions
1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain.
2. Cook Bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, reserving drippings in pan. Chop bacon; set aside. Increase heat to medium-high. Add chicken or turkey to drippings in pan; Sprinkle with freshly ground pepper; Just heat through if the chicken or turkey is already cooked. If chicken is uncooked, saute 6 minutes or until done.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
4. Combine milk and soup, stirring with a whisk; set aside near the stove top. You will need this mixture in the next step.
5. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat; sprinkle flour evenly into pan. Cook 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly with a whisk. You are making a roux. The butter and flour will turn a golden brown, be careful not to let it burn! Gradually add the milk mixture to saucepan, stirring with a whisk. Bring to boil; cook 2 minutes or until thick. Remove from heat; let stand 4 minutes or until sauce cools to 155 degrees. Add Italian cheese blend and Ranch seasoning, stirring until cheese melts. Stir in pasta and chicken.
6. Spoon mixture into a 9x13 baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle evenly with reserved bacon and colby-jack cheese. Bake for 15-20 minutes until heated through and cheese is melted.
Makes 8 servings

Adapted from Cooking Light

I call it Macaroni

I used leftover Turkey. Reheating the turkey in the bacon drippings really added a lot of bacon flavor!

All mixed up and ready for the baking dish

Bacon and cheese are so GOOD together!

Hot and Gooey, can't wait to try it.

The Results...
We all agreed this was tasty.  My husband thought that this is a great way to use extra turkey.  We roasted a 22 pound turkey on New Year's Day.  That's why we used cooked turkey in this recipe. Rotisserie chicken should work, too.  The original recipe asks for uncooked, skinless, boneless chicken breasts.  So, cooked or uncooked chicken, either one will work in this recipe.

My toddler especially loved this dish.  She loves pasta, cheese and bacon, so I wasn't too surprised.  She even ate seconds!

I could tell that this is lighter than regular Mac n Cheese.  It wasn't as rich and creamy, but it was still flavorful.  I was surprised how much flavor just 4 pieces of bacon gave to this whole dish.  The Ranch flavor was mild, but it was there.  Overall, a good dish and my family would be happy if I make it again.


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Bruschetta Chicken Bake

 

I've been going through our food storage lately.  I'm trying to organize it and use any food that is about to expire.  We usually have a few boxes of Stove Top stuffing mix because we like it.  I found this recipe on the back of a box of Stove Top.  So, dinner last night was inspired by a box of stuffing. 

Ingredients (printable recipe)

1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes, undrained

1  (6 oz.) pkg. Stovetop stuffing mix for chicken (I used low sodium)

1/2 cup water

2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed

1 1/2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts,  cut into bite-size pieces

1 tsp dried basil leaves

1 cup shredded mozzarella (I used a 50/50 mix of mozzarella and provolone)

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

2.  Mix tomatoes, stuffing, water and garlic together in a medium bowl just until stuffing is moistened. Set aside.

3.  In a 9x13 baking dish, layer chicken, basil, and cheese.

4.  Top with stuffing.  Bake 30 mins. or until chicken is done.

Makes 6 servings

Source Kraft Recipes

The Results...

We thought Chicken Parmigiana Casserole would also be a good name for this recipe because this tastes very similar to Chicken Parmigiana.  Since we all like Chicken Parmigiana, we also liked this recipe.  My family suggested that next time I should serve this with spaghetti and sauce, too.  I think that's a wonderful idea!  I would also add a little grated Parmesan to the cheese layer or sprinkle it on top when serving.

This just happens to be a great time to stock-up on these stuffing mixes since Thanksgiving is coming up.  I plan to buy a few more boxes this week since they are on sale for $1.00 at my local grocery store.

*I'm not getting paid by Kraft (maker of Stove Top Stuffing) for this post, but I wish I was! :)  We just like Stove Top and we really liked this recipe. 

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Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti

It's week two of back to school.  Part of me likes getting back on schedule and part of me wishes I could still sleep in.  I am not a morning person.  I'm not at my best at 6am.  Occasionally, I make a hot breakfast before I send the kids off to school, but most of the time it's cereal and yogurt.  The kids don't seem to mind.  They aren't all that hungry in the morning anyway.  To make-up for my lack of cooking in the morning, I do cook a hot dinner each evening.  Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti looks like a kid friendly meal.  I hope my young food critics agree!

Ingredients (printable recipe)

3 medium boneless chicken breasts

1 can (10 3/4 oz) Cream of Chicken Soup

1 can (10 oz) Rotel Diced Tomatoes with Green Chilies

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 tsp. onion powder

1 tablespoon butter

1 – 8 oz Velveeta cheese, cubed

8 oz spaghetti, cooked and drained 

Cooking spray

Directions

Cook and drain spaghetti, set aside. Cut up chicken into small, bite size pieces. In a large skillet melt butter. Then add the cubed chicken, minced garlic & onion powder. Cook over medium-high heat until chicken is done (no longer pink!). Stir in soup, cheese and Rotel tomatoes. Reduce heat to low, and cook until the cheese melts, stirring constantly. Stir in the spaghetti noodles and pour into a lightly greased (I used cooking spray), 2 quart (8x8) casserole dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Source My Sweet Little Steiner Family

The Results...
Rich and cheesy!  We liked it.  I would serve this with plenty of veggies and/or fruits to help balance out the richness.  The Rotel gives this dish a little kick that younger kids might be sensitive to.  Our 4 yr. old thought it was spicy.  Using Mild Rotel or even a can of plain diced tomatoes would solve that problem.

After the cheese was melted and everything was heated through, I gave it a taste test before I put it in the oven.  I don't think this dish really needs to go in the oven.  It tasted pretty much the same either way.  But, while it was in the oven, I had time to get my sides ready.

This dish is a good candidate for a freezer meal.  Next time, I'd double the recipe and put a pan in the freezer for another day.  Just thaw and reheat in the oven.

Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti was mostly kid friendly (3 out of 4 kids approved).

This recipe is featured at Show and Share Wednesdays @ Semi Homemade Mom.



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