Casserole Season

Fall is officially here. Sweater weather. Leaves changing. Football watching. Pumpkin EVERYTHING! And we cannot forget, casserole season. I guess I don't really need it to be fall for that, but the cooler weather does make me want to crank up the heat in the oven.

I love casseroles. It's kinda my thing. I can take pretty much any dish and convert it into a casserole. If I need to feed a crowd, I look to my 9 x 13 in pan. Here are two casseroles that I've made recently for feeding a room full of Packers fan.

Biscuit-topped Cowboy Casserole

Ingredients

-2 lbs lean ground beef
-1 onion, chopped
-3 cloves of garlic, minced
-1 small shallot, chopped
-2 cans (4 oz) diced green chiles
-1 can tomato sauce
-1 can diced tomatoes
-1 can of corn
-1 cup of Acini di pepe pasta, dry
-2 cups of coby-jack cheese
-1 cup sour cream
-chili powder, cumin, cayenne, salt, pepper to taste
-1 box of Red Lobster Cheddar Bay biscuit mix + ingredients listed on box
Or
-1 tube of refrigerated biscuits

In a large skillet, brown beef, onion, garlic and shallot over medium heat until meat is brown and onions are translucent. Add green chiles, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, corn and seasonings and cook about 10 minutes. At the same time, cook pasta, drain and set aside. Add coby-jack cheese and sour cream to meat mixture and stir until cheese is melted. Mix in pasta. Pour into a 9 x 13 in pan.







Make Cheddar Bay biscuits according to instructions on the box. Drop biscuit mixture on top of casserole, making 12 small biscuits to cover the top. Alternatively you could use refrigerated biscuit dough and place on top.

Cook in a preheated 400 degree oven for approximately 15 minutes or until biscuits are golden brown and casserole is bubbling.


Ok, my next recipe doesn't have casserole in the title, but I would still call it one.

Beef Stroganoff. Comfort food at it's finest.



French Onion Beef Stroganoff
Lovingly adapted from this recipe

Ingredients

-3-4 lb beef chuck roast
-1/2 cup butter
-2 onions, cut into long strips
-3-4 garlic cloves, minced
-1 bay leaf
-2-3 sprigs of thyme
-12 oz baby bella mushrooms, cut into slices
-1/4 cup red wine
-2 cups beef broth
-1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
-1/2 bag of egg noodles (about 5 cups dry)
-1 cup sour cream
-2 cups grated Gruyere
-1/4 cup fresh parsley
- salt and pepper to taste

Cook the chuck roast in a slow cooker on low for 6-8 hours. Let roast cool, slice into bite sized pieces and set aside.

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
Add onions, garlic, bay leaf, thyme, salt and pepper and cook until onions are caramelized, about 20 minutes.

Add mushrooms and saute until cooked. Discard bay leaf and remove thyme leaves from stem and discard stem. Add beef to skillet.
Add wine, beef broth and Worcestershire to pan and simmer until slightly reduced.



As this is reducing, cook eggs noodles according to package. Drain and set aside.

Remove beef mixture from heat and stir in sour cream.
Stir together noodles and beef mixture in a large dutch oven until combined.

Top with Gruyere cheese and bake in 350 degree oven for 10 minutes until cheese is melted.














Happy Fall.


Happy full belly's.


Happy Casserole-ing.