Casseroles that may help simplify the lives of young families on the go

I am amazed at what young families have to do to keep order in a household and with family members. Juggling work, children and other responsibilities makes for a very busy life.

I look at my niece, Tarah Battaglia, and her husband, Steve. They have two small children, and Tarah is completing her final semester of nursing school.

During the past few years, they have had their children while Tarah has worked part time and gone to college to finish her degree. Have I mentioned yet how very proud I am of her and Steve for accomplishing this? I marvel at the commitment, work ethic and determination they have displayed through this long and tiring process.

It is helpful when Steve can help cook, which he frequently does, or they can prepare and freeze for later use. With that in mind, I am sharing a few casserole recipes with them and all of you. Maybe in some small way, this might help.

Hang in there, Battaglia family, May is coming.

Pizza Bubble-Up Casserole

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 (16-ounce) can of Pillsbury Grand Biscuits (cut into eighths or bite size pieces)
• 1 (14 ounce) jar pizza sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
• 6 ounces pepperoni slices, cut in half
• 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup shredded Italian blend cheese
• 1 cup shredded 2 percent Mozzarella cheese
• Optional toppings of choice: jalapeños, sauteed mushrooms, onions, Italian sausage, bacon, black olives, green peppers, pineapple, ham, etc.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease 10x15 baking dish with olive oil and set aside. Place cut biscuit pieces in bottom of baking dish, top with pepperoni slices, drizzle pizza sauce over the top of pepperoni and biscuits with a spoon, sprinkle with Italian seasoning, oregano, garlic powder, Parmesan cheese, add toppings of your choice, and sprinkle with 1 cup Italian cheese blend. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle the 1 cup mozzarella over the top. Return to the oven for another 15 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole

• 3 to 4 large chicken breasts
• 1 can of cream of mushroom condensed soup
• 8 ounces sour cream
• 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
• 3/4 sleeve of Ritz crackers or same amount of Chicken in a Biscuit crackers
• 1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic
• 1/2 stick butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Gently simmer chicken breasts in water until no longer pink, about 15 minutes. Be sure to simmer, as boiling them on high boil will make them tough. Cool and chop chicken, or use your fingers and pull into small pieces. Combine sour cream, mushroom soup, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well.

Add chicken to mixture. Pour into buttered 9x13-inch casserole dish. Sprinkle with poppy seeds. Crush crackers and combine with melted butter. Sprinkle evenly over top. Bake for 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Serve over white rice, if desired.

Lasagna Casserole

• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper, divided
• 1 pound medium pasta shells, cooked and drained
• 4 cups (16 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
• 3 cups (24 ounces) 4% cottage cheese
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons dried parsley flakes
• 1 jar (24 ounces) pasta sauce

In a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Sprinkle with salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the pasta, 3 cups mozzarella cheese, cottage cheese, eggs, Parmesan cheese, parsley and remaining pepper. Transfer to a greased shallow 3-quart baking dish. Top with beef mixture and spaghetti sauce (dish will be full).

Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake, uncovered, 15 minutes longer or until bubbly and cheese is melted. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. Yield: 6-8 servings.

Crunchy Beef Casserole

• 2 cups corkscrew (Rotini) macaroni
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 3/4 teaspoon seasoned salt
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 (14 ounce) can whole or diced tomatoes
• 3/4 cup green pepper, optional
• 1 can French fried onions

Cook pasta as directed, rinse and drain. Brown beef then drain fat. Combine all ingredients except French fried onions. Pour into greased 2 quart casserole. Cover and bake at 350 for thirty minutes. Uncover, top with French fried onions, and bake five minutes longer.

Country Casserole

• 2 cups small shell pasta, cooked and drained
• 3 cups frozen mixed vegetables, cooked and drained
• 2 cups shredded cheddar, divided
• One can French's fried onions, divided
• 2 cups shredded cooked chicken, can use a rotisserie chicken
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine everything in a large bowl, reserving half of the cheese and half of the onions for topping later. Spoon into 9x13 casserole dish. Bake for twenty five minutes. Top with remaining onions and cheese, bake until cheese is melted, about five minutes more.

Freezing options: Instead of freezing this in your casserole dish, simply spoon it into a gallon zip top bag. Lay the bag flat so that it will thaw out quicker and place it in your freezer.

On the day you want it, take it out the night before and refrigerate or place in refrigerator that morning.

If you forget to do all of this, no sweat! Just microwave the bag until it thaws just a bit, pour into your casserole, and bake.

To bake a casserole that is still frozen, simply place in the oven while the oven preheats. This allows the casserole to thaw quickly and then bake to perfection.

Indiana Chowder Casserole

• 1 (8 ounces) bag wide egg noodles
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder (or half of a package taco seasoning)
• Onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 can corn, drained or frozen
• 1 1/2 cups frozen peas
• 1 can Rotel diced tomatoes with green chilies
• 1 cup shredded cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste

In a large pot, bring water to a boil for the noodles. Brown lean ground beef and onion over medium heat in a skillet. Add garlic, salt and pepper according to your taste. Sprinkle in the taco seasoning or chili powder. Once the beef is browned, drain and add the corn, peas and Rotel. Combine the meat and veggies well. Continue to cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally.

By this point your water should be boiling for the noodles. Add the noodles to the water and bring to a boil according to the package directions. Generally they cook in about 8 minutes or less. Do not overcook the noodles. Once the noodles are done, drain and return back to the pot.

Pour the meat mixture into the pot with the noodles. Stir to combine. Place the pot back on the warm burner that is turned off, but still warm.

Cover the top with shredded cheese. Place a lid on it and let it sit for about 3-5 minutes until the cheese melts.

Have a great week, and, until next time, happy cooking.