Broccoli Rice Casserole

Ingredients

• 2 cups Cooked Rice
• 2 cups Broccoli, cooked and drained
  
• 1 can Cream Of Mushroom Soup (I use homemade)
• 1 cup chopped mushrooms
• 1/2 cup Chopped Onion
• 2 cloves minced Garlic 
• 10 oz. Shredded Cheddar Cheese
• 1 1/2 cups Milk
• 1/4 cup Butter
• Salt and Pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 3 1/2 quart baking dish.
2. Saute onions and mushrooms in butter in a skillet until the onions get translucent. 
3. In a large bowl, mix together rice, broccoli, soup, cheese (reserve 1/2 cup for topping), milk, onion and mushrooms, and garlic. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Pour into prepared casserole dish and bake, uncovered, for 40 minutes until hot and bubbly. Add reserved cheese and bake for 10 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

Makes 6 servings

Araksya's Tip: I like to add cooked chicken or turkey

Casserole in a bowl

Ingredients

1/4 lb ground beef (or any kind of meat)
1 cup marinara sauce
1/4 cup sweet peppers chopped
4-5 mushrooms sliced
3 cups spinach
1/4 cup sliced zucchini
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (or any kind you like)
2 small or 1 big naan bread
salt and pepper to taste
1 TB olive oil
1 TB butter


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Heat olive oil in a small skillet and cook the meat until brown. Add marinara sauce and sweet peppers and cook 2-3 minutes. Season it with salt and pepper.

Take 2 oven-safe bowls/ramekins and divide the meat sauce mix into the bowls. Layer the raw mushrooms on top of the meat sauce.
Meanwhile, in the same skillet cook spinach with butter just until they start to wilt. Add that to the bowls. Then layer the zucchini on top of the spinach and cover them with cheese.

Put the bowls in the oven and cook for 20 minutes. Then cover the bowls with naan bread and continue cooking for another 5 minutes or until the bread gets toasted. You can finish the last step under the broiler to get a nice brown color on the bread.




Makes 2 servings

Araksya's tip: The bowls will be hot the whole time you're eating so please be careful.

Fiesta Casserole

1 lb ground turkey (beef or pork)
2 cups cooked rice
1 can beans
1 can tomato sauce
1 cup corn
1 jar salsa
1 cup chopped onions
1 cup chopped bell peppers
1 cup shredded carrots
2 cups shredded cheese
1 TB chili powder
3 cloves minced garlic
oil
salt and pepper to taste


Preheat oven to 350 F.

Heat oil in a big skillet and cook the meat until lightly browned. Add onions, peppers, corn, tomatoes and chili powder. Cook for 10 minutes stirring occasionally. Then add tomato sauce, salsa, garlic, salt and pepper and cook another 5 minutes.
In a big bowl mix the cooked veggie-meat mixture with rice and half the cheese. Put it in a casserole dish and sprinkle with the rest of the cheese on top. Bake for 30 minutes or until the cheese is bubbling and turning brown.


Serves 8-10 people

2 in 1: Greek Mousaka & American Shepherd's Pie

Ingredients:

• 1 large eggplant (2 1/2 pounds), peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 can (14.5oz) stewed tomatoes
• 1 cup chopped bell peppers
• 1 cup chopped mushrooms 
• 2 teaspoons tomato paste
• 2-3 large potatoes
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 2 tsp dried basil
• 1 cup (9 ounces) ricotta cheese*
• 1 large egg
• Salt and pepper to taste
• red paprika
• olive oil 
• 2 TB butter 

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. On a baking sheet, toss eggplant with oil and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Spread in a single layer, and roast in the oven until soft and golden, 20 to 30 minutes. Transfer eggplant to casserole dish, spreading in an even layer. In a large saucepan, warm oil over medium heat. Add onions, and ground meat; cook, stirring to prevent sticking, until meat is browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Add peppers and mushrooms and cook a couple more minutes then stir in tomatoes, tomato paste, parsley, garlic, salt and pepper. Simmer 15 minutes. Spread the mixture evenly over the eggplant. 

In a pot boil potatoes in water until cooked. Drain and mash them with butter. Add ricotta, egg, 1/8 teaspoon pepper and salt to taste.  

Pour mixture over the casserole, and spread evenly to the edges. Sprinkle some red paprika on top. 

Heat broiler.  Broil until topping is browned in spots, 5 to 10 minutes. Serve hot. 

Makes 6 Servings   

*Araksya's Tip: You can use other kinds of cheeses you have. You can replace cheese with sour-cream.