Casserole/ Side Dishes/ Thanksgiving/ Vegetarian

Corn Casserole with Cheddar Cheese

On the menu tonight, Corn Casserole!

I remember having this a LONG time ago and loving it. SO, I decided to add it to my Thanksgiving menu this year.

Rather than doing a cooking marathon on Thanksgiving day, I’m trying to get a few dishes made the night before that will heat up nicely. This corn casserole will definitely keep tonight and heat up well the next day.

One of the things I love about this dish, besides being delicious, is how quick it comes together. Dump the ingredients in the bowl, mix it together, and bake it. 30 minutes later, you have a DELICIOUS Corn Casserole!

If you are looking for a new side dish for Thanksgiving, or any night, try this Corn Casserole!

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Corn Casserole

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Corn Casserole

Ingredients

1 cup corn meal (I used white corn meal but yellow is fine too)
1 can whole corn, drained
1 can creamed corn
1 cup sour cream
1 egg, beaten
2 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup chives, chopped
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, grated
6 Tbsp melted butter
1 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
2 tsp fresh ground black pepper

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees

In a large mixing bowl, add all the ingredients and gently mix thoroughly

Add to a 2 quart baking dish, or divide into smaller, individual baking dishes (If you do this, check them sooner as they will cook faster)

Bake for about 30 minutes, the top should be golden brown

Once finished, remove and let rest at least 15 minutes

Notes

Whatever vessel you use to bake this casserole, leave room at the top as it WILL rise. To avoid spillover messes, you can put the baking dish(es) on a baking sheet.

November 25, 2021 By patrickdulmage

Casserole/ Chicken/ Soup

Skillet Chicken and Dumplings

On the menu today – Skillet Chicken and Dumplings!

The last time I made chicken and dumplings, it was a disaster. It was my first attempt and I didn’t let the dumplings cook long enough. As a result, the dumplings were awful. With the weather getting cooler, I decided to try it again. This time I took a shortcut and used biscuits instead of making the dumplings myself.

This dish is a complete success! One bite with the chicken, a bit of dumpling, and of course the thick sauce… it’s like a nice warm hug. YUM!

You get a bonus recipe on this post. I’m also including a recipe for homemade chicken stock. How many times do you buy a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store? I buy them pretty frequently, but I had been throwing away the bones – don’t do that. Use the bones along with the other things I will list in the recipe and make your own chicken stock. It’s really easy and taste so much better than store bought. No judgement if you decide to use store bought stock for your version of chicken and dumplings.

Let me know how your version turns out!

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Skillet Chicken and Dumplings

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By Patrick Dulmage – Serves: 8-10

Prep Time: 15 minutes – Cooking Time: 40 minutes – Total Time: 55 minutes

Skillet Chicken and Dumplings

Ingredients

1 rotisserie chicken, pulled from the bone and cubed - discard the skin (about 4 cups)

1 Vidalia Onion, diced

3 stalks celery, diced

1 carrot, diced

1 tsp thyme

Kosher salt

Freshly ground pepper

4 Tbsp butter

32 oz chicken stock, homemade or store bought

1 16.3 oz container of refrigerated biscuit dough

1/4 cup stone-ground corn meal

1/3 cup flour

2 tsp paprika

1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped

Instructions

1

In a medium mixing bowl, mix the corn meal, paprika, and about a half teaspoon of salt

2

Open the tube of biscuits and cut each one into bite sized pieces

3

Toss the biscuit pieces in the corn meal mixture and set aside

4

In a large cast iron skillet, heat the butter

5

Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes

6

Add the flour and mix with the onions and let cook another 3-5 minutes

7

Slowly add the chicken stock and stir constantly to thoroughly combine all the ingredients

8

Season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil

9

Reduce the heat to a simmer, then add the chicken, half of the parsley, carrot, and celery

10

Cover the chicken mixture with the biscuit pieces and then cover

11

Cook for about 25 minutes on low

12

The "dumplings" should be light, fluffy, and fully cooked

13

Garnish with the rest of the parsley

14

Let it cool at least 5 minutes before serving

October 3, 2021 By patrickdulmage

Casserole/ Vegetarian

Haluski – Fried Cabbage, Onions, and Pasta

On the Menu tonight – Haluski!

What in the world is Haluski? It is a traditional Polish dish made of cabbage, onions, and egg noodles. In my version, I used farfalle (bow-tie) pasta because it’s prettier.

The last time I made this was during Christmas time a few years ago. My brother suggested we make something different for Christmas dinner. We decided on a Polish theme since our grand parents were of Eastern European decent. The only Polish dish I’d made was Stuffed Cabbage. After some research, I decided to make Haluski. It was FANTASTIC!

Now that it’s getting cold, I decided to make it again. Now, I’m sharing the recipe with you. Two tips – 1) Good butter and lots of it. 2) Lots of freshly ground pepper. Don’t use the pre-ground pepper for this dish.

There are only a few ingredients, so use the best you can find. All the ingredients are pretty inexpensive too, a head of cabbage, an onion, a pound of pasta, salt and pepper. You can feed a crowd for less money than you would spend on one fast meal.

I hope that you will try this dish. Let me know how your version turns out.

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Haluski - Fried Cabbage, Onions, and Pasta

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By Patrick Dulmage – Serves: 10-12

Prep Time: 15 minutes – Cooking Time: 45 minutes – Total Time: 1 hour

Haluski - Fried Cabbage, Onions, and Pasta

Ingredients

1 Head of cabbage, chopped to bite-sized pieces

1 Large onion

1 clove of garlic, finely chopped or minced

1 stick of butter

1 lb farfalle (bow tie) pasta

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Instructions

1

Pre-heat oven to 300 degrees

2

In a large Dutch oven, pre-heat over medium heat

3

Add 1/2 stick of butter, then

4

Add the diced onion and cook 3-5 minutes, until translucent

5

Add the garlic and cook an additional minute

6

Add the chopped cabbage, the other half stick of butter, and continue to cook about 10-15 minutes - long enough to soften the cabbage

7

Season with salt and freshly ground pepper

8

While the cabbage is cooking, bring a pot of water to a boil

9

Heavily season the boiling water with Kosher salt and add the pasta

10

Cook the pasta to package directions and set aside

11

Once the cabbage is cooked, add it and the pasta to a 13x9 casserole dish

12

Mix the pasta, cabbage, and onions together. Taste and add salt and pepper if necessary

13

Bake for 30 minutes until you see golden brown bits on top

September 26, 2021 By patrickdulmage

Casserole/ Fish/ Vegetarian

Not Your Average Tuna Casserole

On the Menu Tonight – Not Your Average Tuna Casserole!

I really like Tuna Casserole, but it is one of those things I just don’t make very often. This version of Tuna Casserole is elevated by using fresher ingredients. For example, I didn’t use any frozen veggies or any dry herbs. Most versions I have had include peas, but I swapped them out with diced red bell pepper. Instead of using canned cream of mushroom soup, I made it.

The results were FANTASTIC! Whether you are feeding a big family, or making enough for leftovers, try my version of Tuna Casserole.

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Not Your Average Tuna Casserole

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By Patrick Dulmage – Serves: 8-12

Prep Time: 15 minutes – Cooking Time: 45 minutes – Total Time: 1 hour

Not Your Average Tuna Casserole

Ingredients

16 oz egg noodles

3 6.4 oz cans tuna fish, drained and broken into small pieces

1 diced onion

3 cups whole milk (2% is OK, but don't go below 2% fat), warmed or room temp

8 Tbsp butter

6-8 oz mushrooms, finely chopped (White button or Cremini)

1/4 cup flour

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

1/2 cup panko bread crumbs

2 Tbsp parsley, finely chopped

Instructions

1

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees

2

Boil the egg noodles according to pkg directions, drain and set aside

3

Pre-heat large skillet over medium-high heat

4

Add 4 Tbsp of butter to the pan along with the diced onion

5

Let the onions get translucent, then add the mushrooms and cook 2-3 more minutes

6

Add the flour and mix thoroughly to coat the onions and mushrooms

7

Slowly add the milk and whisk/mix as you go to avoid lumps

8

Season with salt and pepper

9

When the mixture thickens, add the tuna, half the chopped parsley, and red bell pepper

10

Add the egg noodles and mix to coat all the noodles

11

Transfer to a buttered baking dish (13x9)

12

Melt the remaining 4 Tbsp of butter and mix with the panko and remaining parsley

13

Top the casserole with the bread crumb mix and put in the oven

14

Bake for 25-30 minutes

15

Let it rest for about 5 minutes before serving

Notes

If you mix the noodles with the creamy tuna mixture and it looks like you need more liquid, add a can of cream of mushroom soup with a little additional milk.

September 3, 2021 By patrickdulmage

Casserole/ Chicken

Chicken and Tater Tot Hotdish

On the menu tonight – Chicken and Tater Tot Hotdish! What’s a hot dish? It’s a mid-west casserole that contains a protein, starch, a creamed soup, and a vegetable. In this version, think chicken pot pie but the crust is tater tots!

If you like chicken pot pie, but are intimidated by making the crust, this is the one to try! Start by giving the tots a pre-cook in the oven. I like really crispy tots and since they won’t be fried, this your chance to get them crispy.

While the tots are in the oven, sauté the onion until translucent, about 4-5 minutes. Then add some flour and butter to the pan to make the roux. Let the flour cook 2-3 minutes and begin adding the milk, whisking as you go to avoid clumps.

Instead of chopping carrots, I used a pea and carrot mix from the frozen section to save a little time. Add that to the mix along with the chicken, bouillon, and other seasonings. Let everything simmer 10-15 minutes, until the chicken cooks through.

Transfer the mix to a baking dish and cover with the tots. Put the baking dish in the oven and bake for about 30 minutes. Let me know how your version of this hot dish turns out!

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Chicken and Tater Tot Hotdish

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By Patrick Dulmage – Serves: 8-10

Prep Time: 15 minutes – Cooking Time: 1 hour – Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Chicken and Tater Tot Hotdish

Ingredients

2 Tbsp Butter

1lb chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces

1 Vidalia Onion, finely diced

1 16 oz pkg frozen peas and carrots

1/4 cup all purpose flour

2 cups milk, room temp

1 tsp Better Than Bouillon, Chicken broth

1 tsp dried Thyme

1 tsp dried (or fresh) Rosemary, finely chopped

1 bag Tater Tots

Instructions

1

Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees

2

Put the tater tots on an oiled baking sheet, bake for about 20-25 minutes to make sure they are crispy

3

While the tots bake, pre-heat a large skillet with some butter and the onions. Cook about 5 minutes

4

Add the flour to the pan along with some more butter to make the roux

5

Stir the flour, butter, and onions around for 2-3 minutes, then slowly whisk in the milk

6

Continuously stir to avoid clumps in the sauce

7

Add the chicken, bouillon, carrot/pea mix, thyme, and rosemary to the sauce

8

Simmer for about 10-12 minutes to cook the chicken through, then transfer to a baking dish (13x9)

9

Cover the mixture with the tater tots and put in the oven for about 30 minutes

September 2, 2021 By patrickdulmage

Casserole/ Chicken

Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Gnocchi with Bacon

Did you say you wanted something cheesy? Look no further than my Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Gnocchi topped with Bacon!

Inspired by a Mac and Cheese recipe I saw, I decided to use gnocchi instead. This is another great weeknight dinner. Start by pre-heating the broiler to high. While the broiler heats up, cook the bacon and start the water boiling for the gnocchi (or macaroni if you want to go that route).

The rest of the recipe is below. I hope you will make my Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Gnocchi with Bacon.

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