Sausage, Egg, and Potato Breakfast Casserole

As I prepare to leave for a camping trip with my family to one of our many amazing National Parks, I find myself turning to this recipe for the third time.  We travel in our RV and though there are generally no hook ups (for electricity, water, etc.) at the National Park campgrounds, we do have a gas oven that we can use.  I have made this recipe for two other trips and it has been the perfect breakfast to fill us up for the adventures of the day.  There are three steps to the process: the prep, the baking with foil, and the baking without foil.  I do the first two of those steps at home before we leave.  This leaves just the baking without foil to do on the trip.  Unfortunately, I have never taken a picture of the finished product on one of our trips.  Maybe this time I will and post an update.  In the meantime, I didn't want any more time to go by without posting this!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 pound Italian sausage (sweet, hot, or mild)
• 1 medium white onion, peeled and diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 red bell pepper, cored and diced (or 1 jar of roasted red peppers, drained and diced)
• 6 eggs
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 (20 ounce) bag frozen hash browns, thawed
• 2 cups shredded cheddar or mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
• (optional topping: thinly sliced green onions)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Add the sausage to a medium saute pan. Cook over medium-high heat until browned, crumbling the sausage with a spoon as it cooks. Remove sausage with a slotted spoon and transfer to a large mixing bowl. Reserve about 1 tablespoon of sausage grease in the saute pan, discarding the rest. 
3. Add the onion and red pepper* to the saute pan, and saute for 5 minutes until cooked. Add the garlic and saute for an additional 2 minutes until fragrant. (*If using the jarred roasted red peppers, wait to stir them until after the garlic.) 
4. Pour the vegetable mixture into the mixing bowl with the sausage. Add the hash browns and 1 1/2 cups cheese to the mixing bowl with the sausage and veggies. Stir to combine.
5. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk and black pepper until combined. Then add them to the hashbrown mixture, and stir to combine. Pour the mixture into a 11x7-inch or a 9x9-inch baking dish (a 9x13-inch dish will also work), and top with the remaining 1/2 cup of shredded cheese.
6. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Then remove the aluminum foil and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes and the top of the potatoes begin to slightly brown. Remove and let the casserole rest for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with green onions and serve!

Difficulty: Medium

Time: 20 minutes prep, 35 minutes baking

Source: https://www.gimmesomeoven.com

Chicken and Asparagus Casserole

I love shopping at many of the local farms in my area.  I often find great deals on produce as it becomes ready for sale.  My kids enjoy the experience of shopping at a market with farm fresh products. It is almost a field trip for us; we check out all the veggies and fruits; we ask the workers questions about the produce. Sometimes, we bring home a delicious dessert or chocolate milk in the glass bottle!

This casserole was perfect for my family. This recipe is a bit more involved than typical recipes I try, but it is summer so I have a bit more time.


INGREDIENTS:

• 1 bunch of asparagus, cut into 2 inch pieces
• 4 cooked chicken breasts (I boiled mine)
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 T flour
• 3 cups milk, divided
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 8 oz wide egg noodles
• cheddar cheese
• 3/4 cups breadcrumbs
• 2 T olive oil
• pinch cayenne pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Melt 2 T butter in saucepan. Throw in onion to saute for about 3 minutes. Add garlic. Saute for 2 more minutes. Throw in 2 T flour to make a roux. Stir. Add 1 cup cold milk. Stir well. Add 2 more cups cold milk. Stir. Add cream of mushroom soup and a pinch of cayenne pepper. Allow to simmer and thicken.
3. While working with saucepan, allow a large pot of salted water to come to a boil.
4. Boil asparagus for 1 minute. Remove with slotted spoon. Set aside.
5. Using the same pot of boiling water, cook egg noodles one minute less than directed.
6. Drain noodles. Put back in pot. Pour in cream of mushroom mixture. Stir. Add cooked chicken stir. Add asparagus. Stir. Add 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese. Stir.
7. Transfer noodle mixture to 11 x 14 casserole dish. Moisten bread crumbs with olive oil. Put moistened bread crumbs on top of casserole. Top with a bit more cheese.
8. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes.

Difficulty: Medium (I was using lots of ingredients and pots, but it was worth it!)

Time: an hour or so

Source: Food Wishes with Chef John

Pierogi Casserole

Growing up in the Pittsburgh area, people make pierogies.  I love eating them hot at a nearby Nationality Day festival. I tried this amazing casserole at a Steeler-themed party.  I scoured my friend Jennifer's Pinterest boards to find this recipe; it was not there.  I searched myself and tried a few variations; this is the easiest and quickest.  Some of my fails included using oven-ready lasagna noodles; they dried out and making my own mashed potatoes; too heavy.

This dish would be a great side but could also be a stand-alone meal.  I look forward to bringing this to many picnics this summer!


INGREDIENTS:

• 1 box of farfalle, cooked
• 6 servings of instant mashed potatoes
• 1 pound Velveeta cheese, cubed and divided
• 1 stick butter, divided
• 1 medium onion, diced

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  
2. Prepare farfalle as directed.
3. Melt 1/2 stick of butter and pour into 9 x 13 pan.  Pour prepared noodles into pan.  Mix into butter.
4. Prepare mashed potatoes; add 3/4 cubed Velveeta and mix 
5. Spread potatoes over noodles.
6. Saute onion in 1/2 stick butter. Pour over noodle mixture.
7. Top with reserved Velveeta.
8. Bake 30 minutes until warm.

Difficulty: Easy

Time: 20 minute prep; 30 minute baking time

Source: combination of a few different recipes 

Baked Chicken and Mushrooms

 My family loves chicken.  I often buy frozen skinless, boneless chicken in large quantities when it is on sale, making great use of the deep freeze. Things have been crazy with the arrival of spring and spring activities; I had no chicken in my freezer for the first time in, honestly, three years. The Legendary Sale saved me so I stocked up.

Many of my chicken dishes rely on the crock pot so I was excited when my mother-in-law brought me a shared recipe.  My husband is not the world's biggest fan of mushrooms, but I quickly informed him that the recipe was from his mom, and she raved about it.  He answered, "She made this, and she ate the mushrooms?"

It was really good!  I modified this recipe a bit by using a bag for my bread crumbs, shaking to cover all the pieces  instead of rolling each piece of chicken.  Also, I didn't grate Muenster cheese; I just chopped it up quickly. I think this would be a perfect dish if you were having guests for dinner.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 pound boneless chicken breast cut into 1 inch squares
• 2 T butter
• 1 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup mushrooms, drained (also could use fresh mushrooms)
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 8 ounces Muenster cheese, shredded

DIRECTIONS:

1. Soak chicken squares in egg mixture one hour or overnight.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. 
3. Roll chicken in bread crumbs and lightly brown in butter on skillet.
4. Place in single layer in casserole dish.  Cover with mushrooms and broth.  Cover casserole dish with aluminum foil.
5. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes; cover with cheese and bake 10 minutes more without foil.

Difficulty: Easy

Time: 1 hour or overnight prep, 30 minute bake time

Source: my mother-in-law

Bruschetta Chicken Bake

Monthly a new book display decorates our break room for a week.  The staff of Book Are Fun bring a wide selection of reading materials and other neat products.  Cookbooks are always hot sellers.  My dad picked me up this 3 in 1 cookbook by Kraft, Nabisco, and Velveeta a few years ago from his work display.  I never really had time to go through the book.  But when he brought me over 3 pounds of cooked, cut chicken breasts, I opened right up to the casserole main dish section. I found this quick and easy recipe.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 can diced tomatoes, undrained (14 1/2 oz)
• 1 package stuffing mix (6 oz)
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cut into bite-size pieces)
• 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.  Stir tomatoes, stuffing mix, water and garlic just until stuffing mix is moistened.
2. Place chicken in 9x9 inch baking dish.  Sprinkle with seasonings.  Top with stuffing mixture and cheese.
3. Bake 30 minutes or until heated through.

Difficulty: Easy
Time:10 minutes prep, 30 minute baking time
Source: Kraft Cheese Casseroles & More copyright 2009

Lasagna

This is my absolute favorite lasagna recipe...partly because it is the easiest one I have tried (aside from Kelly's slow cooker version) and partly because of how tasty it is.  I was never a big fan of lasagna growing up, and I think it had to do with the fact that I don't care much for ricotta cheese.  This recipe does not have ricotta, and if you use the low fat cottage cheese that this one calls for, it is actually much healthier than traditional recipes, too.  As with any lasagna, it does take a little time to prepare, so this is one that I generally make on a Sunday.  I put it together after lunch and then throw it in the oven when the time is right.  We usually have enough for leftovers later in the week, especially if we have a salad with it, and definitely if we have a salad and breadsticks.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 1 1/2 tsp minced garlic
• 1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 jar (26 oz) spaghetti sauce (or homemade sauce)
• 1 large tomato, chopped
• 9 lasagna noodles, cooked, drained
• 1 container (16 oz) low fat cottage cheese
• 2 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.  Begin cooking pasta.  Brown meat with garlic and oregano.  Stir in spaghetti sauce, simmer 5 minutes.  Stir in tomatoes, remove from heat.
2. Spread 1/2 c of sauce in 13 x 9 baking dish.  Layer 3 noodles, 1 c of cottage cheese, 1/2 c Mozarella, and 1 c sauce in dish.  Repeat layers.  Top with remaining 3 noodles and remaining sauce mixture.  
3. Cover with foil.  Bake 30 minutes.  Uncover; top with 1 c mozarella.  Bake uncovered for an additional 5 minutes.  Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Difficulty: Medium
Time: about 25 minutes prep and then another 35 minutes to cook, plus 5 minutes to stand after cooking.
Source: adapted from Kraft Food and Family

Mac and Cheese with Squash

I am not really the type to "sneak" veggies into things because I am fortunate enough to have kids who are at least willing to tolerate them (if not enjoy them) when they are perfectly visible.  However, when faced with the opportunity to make a family favorite healthier by adding pureed acorn squash, I decided to go for it.  Little did I know that not only would it be healthier, it would taste awesome, too.  My family gobbled up this delicious mac and cheese!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 acorn squash (I used one a little larger than a softball and have used some slightly smaller, as well)
• salt and pepper
• 3 cups (dry) penne pasta
• 2 1/2 cups milk, divided
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 3 Tbsp flour
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 Tbsp dried rosemary
• 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese (or a mixture of cheese to suit your tastes)
• 1/2 cup panko 

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Using a sharp, sturdy knife, halve the acorn squash.  Remove seeds and place on a baking sheet, skin side down.  Sprinkle with salt and roast for about 50 minutes, until fork tender. (Time saving tip: I bake multiple squashes at once and save the others for other dishes or freeze to use in this dish at a later date.)
3. While water is boiling for the pasta, scrape the cooked squash from the skin and place in a food processor or high speed blender with 1/2 cup of milk.  Blend until pureed.
4. While pasta is cooking, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the flour and nutmeg, whisk for 2-3 minutes.  Add remaining milk, whisk until smooth.
5. Increase heat and bring the flour/milk mixture to a boil, whisking the entire time.  Once thickened, turn the heat to low and whisk in the squash and rosemary and salt and pepper as desired.
6. Add the cooked macaroni to the mixture and combine thoroughly.
7. Pour half of the noodle and sauce mixture into a greased 2 quart baking dish.  Sprinkle 1 cup of cheese on top.  Add the remaining noodle mixture and then the other cup of cheese.  Sprinkle breadcrumbs on top.
8. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until melted and bubbling.  Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Difficulty: medium (but oh so worth it)

Time: 50 minutes to bake the squash (can be done ahead), 20 minutes hands-on, and 25-30 minutes baking time

Source: adapted from multiple sources, including www.twopeasandtheirpod.com

10 Great Recipes for the Holidays

GREAT USES OF LEFTOVER TURKEY:

Turkey Day Casserole 

     

Easy Turkey Stromboli

EASY APPETIZERS:

White Pizza Dip

Baked Artichoke Appetizer

SIDE DISHES TO TAKE ALONG:

Mashed Potato Casserole

Mashed Sweet Potatoes and Apples

EASY CAKES:

Pumpkin Dump Cake

Stir Crazy Cake

GREAT FOR THE COOKIE TRAY:

m&m Cookies

Old Fashioned Orange Cookies

Salsa Chicken Tortilla Bake

While I love leftovers, my family is not always as excited as I am to see the same dish.  One of my favorite recipes is Salsa Chicken; it's a regular in my monthly meal rotations.  I try to change it up by serving it one day with pasta and the next with quinoa...my family is not fooled.  When I saw a recipe calling for chicken, salsa, and tortillas, I made it the next day; after my family enjoyed it; I thought I could make recipe much easier on myself by using my crock pot leftovers (I even threw in the extra quinoa and mixed it up).  It was a quick hit with my family; the kids loved being able to pick up the wedges and dip into additional salsa.  No one realized it was yesterday's chicken.

Salsa Chicken ingredients; add tortillas and cheese for Day 2!

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 10-inch flour tortillas
• Shredded salsa chicken (leftovers)
• 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
• Garnish-sour cream, optional

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place one tortilla in the bottom of a lightly greased 2-quart round casserole dish; set aside.
2. Spoon 1/3 of leftovers over tortilla in the dish, top with 1/4 cup cheese; repeat layering, ending with last tortilla.
3. Sprinkle with remaining cheese; cover with aluminum foil.  Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes, until hot and bubbly; uncover for the final 5 minutes.
4. Cut into wedges and serve. 

Difficulty: Easy

Time: 10 minute prep, 35 minutes baking time

Source: inspired by Gooseberry Patch's Weeknight Dinners

Steak House Mac and Cheese

Anyone up for some comfort food (with a healthy twist)?  When I saw this recipe in March, I knew I had to try it immediately.  I have made it several times (once, when my mother-in-law came for dinner) and I cannot say enough good about it.  Spinach.  Bacon.  Mushrooms.  Blue Cheese.  I have found those to be ingredients people either love or hate, but I happen to love them all.  Put them together with some penne, greek yogurt, panko, and garlic?  Let me tell you...This dish is amazing.

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 tsp olive oil, divided
• 2 tsp salt
• 8 oz uncooked penne pasta or macaroni
• 3 bacon slices (I have reserved some from Sunday morning breakfast when I make it)
• 10 oz fresh mushrooms, quartered (I have used more, depending on the package size)
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, minced (I use 1 tsp jarred minced garlic)
• 10 oz fresh baby spinach (I used most of two 6 oz bags)
• 1/4 cup plain 2% Greek yogurt
• 4 oz blue cheese, crumbled
• 1/2 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley (I don't generally have this and therefore skip it)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Coat 2-quart baking dish with 1 tsp oil and set aside.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil; add salt and pasta.  Cook for 6 minutes or until just barely tender.  Drain pasta but reserve one cup of the cooking liquid.
3. While the water is coming to a boil, cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp.  Remove bacon from pan, and crumble.  Add mushrooms to drippings (appx 2 Tbs) in pan.  Cook for 8 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally.  
4. Add pepper, garlic, and spinach (in batches) to the mushrooms; cook 3 minutes or until spinach wilts, tossing occasionally.
5. Combine yogurt and cheese in a large bowl, stirring until almost smooth.  Add pasta and mushroom mixture toss to combine.  Stir in 1/2 cup reserved cooking liquid (or more if mixture looks dry).  Spoon pasta mixture into prepared dish.
6. Combine crumbled bacon, panko, and parsley.  Drizzle with remaining 3 teaspoons of oil; toss to combine.  Sprinkle evenly over top of pasta.  Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until golden and bubbly.

Difficulty: medium

Time: about 50 minutes total (the last 20 of which are completely hands-off)

Source:  Cooking Light magazine, March 2012, page 81

Turkey Day Casserole

During my first pregnancy, I fell in love with The Food Network.  While on bed rest, I watched episode after episode.  Semi Homemade with Sandra Lee stood out to me as food I might be able to make.  She had tons of shortcuts for busy people.  My dad and I take turns talking up her recipes.  Recently, he found a new discount store near his home; they had an entire section of Sandra Lee stuff.  He bought me two new cookbooks.

I chose to try this recipe because many of the ingredients are on sale as Thanksgiving approaches.  My favorite local grocery store had a special on ground turkey for $1 a pound.  This was super easy to put together and tasted wonderful.  I plan to make it with my Thanksgiving leftovers in a few weeks, substituting turkey leftovers and homemade mashed potatoes. I can't wait!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 container (24 oz) mashed potatoes
• 1 pound uncooked ground turkey
• 1 box stuffing for turkey
• 1 can (16 oz) whole cranberry sauce
• 2 jars home-style turkey gravy
• 2 T butter, cut into small pieces

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit   Microwave mashed potatoes, uncovered in container on high for 1 minute.  Stir to break up potatoes.
2. In a medium pan, brown ground turkey; drain.
3. Spread dry stuffing mix in the bottom of a casserole dish.  Top with cranberry sauce.  Layer turkey and 1 jar of gravy.  Spread mashed potatoes over layers in dish.  Dot with butter pieces.
4. Bake in oven for 30 to 40 minutes
5. Serve; heat remaining gravy (I suggest trying the dish before opening the second jar; we didn't need one).  Serve with casserole.

This version is made from leftovers, so the turkey is not ground.  Not a totally photogenic meal, but delicious!

Difficulty: Easy
Time: 15 minute prep; 40 minutes baking time

Source: Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade Slow Cooker Recipes

Chicken Parmesan Casserole

My idea of chicken parmesan was buying breaded chicken tenderloins at Costco and putting them on top of spaghetti with sauce and some mozzarella. Then, I found this recipe. It is so easy, and it is so amazing. My husband put this in the "this is the best thing you have ever made" category. I choose not to serve with pasta because I think there are enough carbohydrates in the meal so I pair it with a green vegetable. I have tried a few different types of croutons; they can be a bit too salty so the search continues...not really wanting to make my own.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 T olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• cayenne red pepper to taste (in our house, we use a lot)
• 5-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 2 cups marinara sauce (I used 2/3 of a spaghetti sauce jar)
• 1/4 cup basil, chopped
• 8 oz mozzarella cheese
• 4 oz Parmesan cheese (you can buy either shredded or the grated variety)
• 1 package (5 oz) garlic croutons

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. In a casserole dish, pour olive oil.
3. Add garlic and cayenne red pepper.
4. Place chicken breasts in dish.
5. Cover with sauce; spread over chicken.
6. Top with basil.
7. Layer with mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.
8. Top with croutons.
9. Bake for 35-45 minutes (internal temperature of 155 degrees Fahrenheit, or cut it and check like me)

Difficulty: Easy

Time:10 minute prep time; 45 minutes baking time

Source: http://foodwishes.blogspot.com/2008/02/end-of-chicken-parmesan-as-you-know-it.html

Spinach and Mozzarella Egg Bake

I love eggs, but hate cleaning the skillet after preparing them... so I do a lot with my covered 9 x 13 cake pan with carrying handles. As an aside, that pan is the best Christmas present I ever got; no more messing around with aluminum foil or plastic wrap to cover leftovers. A few weeks ago, we had a good 4 dozen eggs in the house nearing expiration; I put out a call to some friends for some egg bake recipes.  My family loved this one!  It gave me about 15 good size breakfast portions.  After a good morning run, my husband would get a hot (well, reheated) breakfast before work.



INGREDIENTS:

• 8 large eggs, beaten
• 1 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese
• 1 bag spinach (8 oz)
• 1 T olive oil
• green onions
• salt and pepper
• optional assorted vegetables (I add whatever is sitting around-mushrooms, peppers, zucchini) 

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Spray a 9 x 13 pan with cooking spray.  
3. Heat oil in large skillet.  Saute spinach for about 2 minutes.
4. Transfer spinach to pan. Top with green onions (I just cut mine with shears over the pan) and cheese.  Pour beaten eggs on top.  Use a fork to combine.  Add salt and pepper to taste.
5. Bake 35 minutes.

Difficulty: Easy

Time: 5 minute prep; 35 minute baking time

Source: a friend

Mashed Potato Casserole

Mashed potatoes are a favorite comfort food of mine, but they are often a restaurant treat since all too often they come out of the box in my house and my parents' house. The first time I made mashed potatoes was when I hosted Easter in my home during the first year of marriage. It was an extremely stressful experience; I have avoided making them for the past 7 years until now. Recently, Joyce was weighing the benefits of buying a mixer, she asked me if I used mine to make mashed potatoes; I didn't until now. The beauty of this recipe is that you can prep it early in the morning or the night before a party or holiday and eliminate the stress.


INGREDIENTS:

• 6-7 large cooking potatoes
• 8 ounces of cream cheese
• 1 cup (8 ounces) of sour cream
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/4 t ground nutmeg
• 2 t parsley flakes
• 1 t garlic salt
• shredded cheddar cheese
• bacon (optional)
• salt, to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Peel, quarter, and boil potatoes for about 20 minutes (or until soft).
3. Place potatoes in mixer. Beat until smooth.
4. Add cream cheese, milk, sour cream, and spices. Mix on medium speed until creamy.
5. Put potato mixture into a 9x11 sprayed baking dish. Top with shredded cheese (and cooked bacon/bacon bits if desired). Cover. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove cover, bake an additional 10 minutes.

Difficulty: Medium (I did have to peel and cut potatoes)

Time: 30 minutes prep time, 40 minutes baking time

Source: Gooseberry Patch

Zippy Beef Casserole

This is another recipe that dates back to my childhood; as far back as I can possibly remember, my mom made this for us for dinner.  It is a super kid-friendly meal that flies off the plate (adjust the green pepper as your family can tolerate - my daughter loves them, my son can do without, but does eat them in this meal).

INGREDIENTS:

• 1lb ground beef
• 1 cup uncooked macaroni (I usually use a little bit more, maybe 1 1/2 cups)
• 1 can (10.5 oz) cream of mushroom soup
• 3/4 cup milk
• 2/3 cup ketchup
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped green pepper (I often dice it very small and use an entire pepper)
• 1-2 Tablespoons instant minced onion (I have on occasion used a sprinkle of onion powder when I realized I was out of minced onion)
• 1 tespoon salt
• 1 cup (or so) crushed potato chips (I never use that much and I sometimes use none at all)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Farenheit.  Boil water for pasta and cook pasta according to package directions.  The rest of the steps can happen during this time.
2. Chop pepper.  Brown ground meat.  (The original recipe does not call for the pepper to be cooked, but I typically toss it in with the meat for the last few minutes of browning to soften it a bit.)
3. Mix all ingredients (except for potato chips) in a 2qt casserole and bake covered for 40 minutes.
4. Top with chips and cook uncovered 5 minutes longer.  (Depending on how healthy you are feeling, you may prefer to reduce or leave out the chips...it is still delicious!)

Difficulty: relatively easy (some chopping and measuring required)
Time:  15-20 minutes prep, 45 minutes cook time
Source: my mom