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Browsing category archives: make ahead meals

Escalloped Corn Casserole

Want the perfect side dish at Thanksgiving, Christmas or really any of you dinners? This casserole gives a spin on the normal corn side dish, making it something just a little different. It’s easy to make and can be mixed up a few days in advance, ready to bake the day of. Enjoy!

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Escalloped Corn

Servings: 4

Ingredients

  • 1 egg ( well beaten)
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 cup fine cracker crumbs
  • 1 can (15 1/4 ounce) cream-style corn
  • 4 tbsp melted butter
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper

Instructions

  • Mix together in order given to blend well. Pour into buttered, covered casserole dish.
  • Bake at 350 degrees for a total of 45-50 minute
  • Remove cover the last 10-15 minute to brown a little. Serve as soon as you remove it from the oven.

Tater Tot, Egg & Sausage Waffles

Ok, I know what you all are thinking…what in the world is going on with this recipe?!?! I am always on the hunt for new breakfast foods to make for my husband. He works very long shifts and a few years ago I decided to try and make him a hearty breakfast before work. The thing is about my husband is he hates scrambled eggs and very “eggy” things. He blames it on mono he had back in high school. Since then, the thought of scrambled eggs makes him a little sick to his stomach. With that in mind, I am pretty creative on my egg bakes and other breakfast foods I have made for him. I’m a huge fan of tater tots in the waffle maker. Not tried it? I suggest you do because it is delicious! I sort of think of it as a poor man’s easy potato pancake….err waffle. I serve it sometimes with a side of apple sauce, just like a normal potato pancake.

Back to the recipe…I was trying to think of a way I could make a sort of egg bake without that scrambled egg texture and I decided a loaded waffle with tater tots might work. This recipe was a complete experiment but it turned out awesome!!

I started it the night before by browning 1/2 pound of turkey sausage in a pan. Next, I spraying a small baking dish with cooking spray and cracked 6 eggs into the dish. I topped the eggs with the sausage, salt and pepper. (Go easy on the salt, sausage adds enough!)

I baked the eggs at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes until the yolks were set in the middle. 

I put them in the refrigerator that night and also place 1/2 bag of tater tots on a plate to thaw. The next morning I turned on my waffle maker.

Sorry, break in this blog. Let me rant about my waffle maker for a bit. For Christmas two years ago I asked for the Cuisinart 5-in-1 Griddler. It’s a grill, griddle, panini press, and waffle maker (if you buy the waffle plates) in one! It might be one of my favorite kitchen appliances. I use almost every function of it all the time and it heats up so quickly! 

The next morning I turned on my Cuisinart 5-in-1 Griddler with the waffle plates and sprayed it down with some cooking spray. I filled the bottom plate with tater tots (leave some space, they will squish down). 

 

I topped the tots with the cooked eggs (cut in the rectangles) and a slice of cheese per egg. I did half pepperjack and half colby cheese. 

Then I topped the egg and cheese with more tater tots.

I closed the lid and pressed down tight to press everything together.

I let it cook for 5 minutes until the tater tots were crispy. 

Using a spatula, I carefully removed the Tater Tot, Egg, & Sausage Waffle and placed it on a plate. 

 

Hubby raved and raved at how good this breakfast was! Overall, it was a super easy breakfast to make in the morning. I am always a slow to wake up person, so making this hot, tasty meal in less than 10 minutes in the morning was a win for me! Hope you enjoy!

Tater Tot, Egg, & Sausage Waffles
Serves 4
A 10 minute morning breakfast that puts a spin on the traditional egg bake.
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Prep Time
20 min
Cook Time
5 min
Total Time
30 min
Prep Time
20 min
Cook Time
5 min
Total Time
30 min
370 calories
36 g
292 g
18 g
15 g
6 g
232 g
730 g
1 g
0 g
11 g
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size
232g
Servings
4
Amount Per Serving
Calories 370
Calories from Fat 165
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 18g
28%
Saturated Fat 6g
30%
Trans Fat 0g
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g
Monounsaturated Fat 9g
Cholesterol 292mg
97%
Sodium 730mg
30%
Total Carbohydrates 36g
12%
Dietary Fiber 3g
11%
Sugars 1g
Protein 15g
Vitamin A
10%
Vitamin C
41%
Calcium
11%
Iron
13%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your Daily Values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
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Ingredients
  1. 6 eggs
  2. 1/2 breakfast sausage
  3. 20 oz Tater Tots (thawed)
  4. Sliced Cheese
  5. Salt & Pepper
Night Before
  1. Brown sausage in pan.
  2. Grease small baking container. Crack eggs into container. Sprinkle with bulk sausage, salt, and pepper. Cover with foil. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes or until yolks are set.
  3. Layer frozen tater tots on large plate.
  4. Cut cooled eggs into rectangles or squares.
  5. Place cooked eggs & tater tots in refrigerator overnight.
Next Morning
  1. Heat waffle maker so it is hot.
  2. Spray waffle maker with cooking spray.
  3. Fill bottom plate with tater tots (leave some space, they will squish down).
  4. Top the tots with the cooked eggs (cut in the rectangles) and a slice of cheese.
  5. Top the egg and cheese with more tater tots.
  6. Close waffle maker lid and pressed down tight to press everything together.
  7. Cook for 5 minutes until the tater tots are crispy.
  8. Using a spatula, carefully removed the Tater Tot, Egg, & Sausage Waffle and placed it on a plate.
Notes
  1. If you have problem getting the tater tots to come out of the waffle maker, you can add two layers of cheese. One before the eggs and one after the eggs. It will allow the tater tots to stick more together.
beta
calories
370
fat
18g
protein
15g
carbs
36g
more
Between3Sisters http://between3sisters.com/

Overnight Baked Oatmeal

I love a good hot breakfast and when a friend made this oatmeal for our MOPS group I was in love! This oatmeal is the perfect balance of well cooked oats, with a hint of vanilla and cinnamon! It is slightly sweetened, but not too sugary so everyone is sure to love it! It’s a great hot breakfast that you can prepare the night before and bake in the morning to give your family a healthy start to the day! 
Best of all, it’s a hearty 325 calories per serving!!


1 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
3/4 cup of sugar (you can use brown or white)
4 eggs
1 teaspoon of vanilla
2 cups skim milk
3 cups of quick cooking oatmeal
3 cups of old fashioned oatmeal
2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
2 cups of frozen berry mix (blueberries, blackberries, raspberries)
1/2 cup of sliced almonds

1. Mix applesauce, oil, sugar, vanilla, milk, and eggs in a large bowl.
2. In a separate bowl, mix together oatmeal, salt, baking powder, and cinnamon.
3. Combine dry and wet ingredients and stir until just blended.
4. Add the frozen berry mix and stir slightly.
5. Place oatmeal in a greased 9×13 cake pan and refrigerate overnight.
6. The next day, top oatmeal with almonds and bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.


The Skinny: Serves 10 @ 325 calories



Enjoy!


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Make Ahead Meals: Wild Rice and Sausage Casserole

I am starting a series of blogs for Make Ahead Meals that I am preparing before Baby 2.0 arrives. Every night when I make dinner, I am doubling the recipe and putting the second in the freezer. I am hoping that the prepared meals will help on those totally exhausted days when cooking sounds like no fun. I am hoping many of the meals I will be preparing will be somewhat healthy and low calorie, but I know there will be some meals mixed in that aren’t. To prepare for the freezer meals, I purchased some slow cooker liners (for the crockpot meals), gallon freezer bags (for the freezer skillet meals), and Aluminum Foil Steam Table Pans with matching lids (for the freezer casseroles).
I made this recipe a while back and it is now one of my husband’s favorite casseroles and he requests it all the time. 
2 packages (6.3 oz each) rice pilaf 
2 cups of wild rice mixture, cooked
1 lb bulk pork sausage
12 celery ribs, chopped
8 medium carrots, sliced
2 cans (10 3/4 oz) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
2 cans (10 3/4 oz) condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
4 tsp onion powder
2 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp pepper
4 cups of chinese chow mein noodles
2 packages (2.5 oz.) of sliced almonds
Prepare rice pilaf according to package directions. 
I like this brand of rice pilaf, but I only use 1 seasoning packet as I find with two it gets too salty.
–
In large skillet, cook the sausage, celery, and carrots over medium heat until meat is no longer pink. The veggies might be a bit crisp, but will cook down in the oven. 

In a large bowl, combine the soups, onion powder, garlic powder and pepper. 
Add mixture to the skillet full of carrot, celery, and sausage. 

Add in the rice pilaf mixture and stir.

 Add in cooked wild rice and 1 package of almonds.

Stir.

Grease two baking dishes. I made the meal that night, so used the smaller one for dinner and the larger one is for the deep freezer.

Transfer the casserole over to the two dishes.

Sprinkler top with remaining package of sliced almonds.

And top with chow mein noodles.   

Cover and freeze one casserole for up to 3 months. I use tin foil on the top and then cover with the lid that matches the pan to prevent freezer burn. Label the freezer one to thaw, bake at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes or until warm.

For dinner that night, bake the remaining casserole at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Enjoy!!
Meals to date:
1 x Wild Rice and Sausage Casserole

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Make Ahead Meals: Dump Chicken Meals

I am starting a series of blogs for Make Ahead Meals that I am preparing before Baby 2.0 arrives. Every night when I make dinner, I am doubling the recipe and putting the second in the freezer. I am hoping that the prepared meals will help on those totally exhausted days when cooking sounds like no fun. I am hoping many of the meals I will be preparing will be somewhat healthy and low calorie, but I know there will be some meals mixed in that aren’t. To prepare for the freezer meals, I purchased some slow cooker liners (for the crockpot meals), gallon freezer bags (for the freezer skillet meals), and Aluminum Foil Steam Table Pans with matching lids (for the freezer casseroles).
Another sale at the local store, this time with boneless, skinless chicken! Perfect for some dump chicken meals. Now if you have never heard of “dump chicken” let me define it for you:
Dump Chicken {ˈdəmp  ˈchi-kən }:
 The process of combining many ingredients with chicken and then pouring (or “dumping”) them in a baking carafe to make a meal. 
In other words– very easy meals made with chicken and some other random ingredients. I made three “dump chicken” meals and I thought I would share the recipes. 
All of these meals I plan to cook in the crockpot (though you could also bake them in the oven), so I put them all in a slow cooker liner bag. I separated three pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breasts into three slow cooker liner bags. 
And then I prepared myself to begin dumping ingredients.
The first recipe:
Cranberry Chicken
 You will need: 
1 tablespoon Soy Sauce
1 can Cranberry Sauce
1/4 cup Orange Juice Concentrate
1/8 teaspoon Cinnamon
Mix all the ingredients in a bowl. 

And “dump” on your chicken in the slow cooker liner:  
Seal with a twist tie: 
I plan on serving this meal with Quinoa on the side and it should be pretty tasty!
Pretty tough, right? Only two more recipes to go!
The next recipe is: 
 Apricot  BBQ Chicken
You will need:
3/4 cup Ketchup
3/4 cup Apricot Preserves
1/4 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
1 tbs Worcestershire Sauce
2 teaspoons Chili Powder
1/8 teaspoon Salt
3  teaspoon brown sugar

Again, mix all the ingredients in a bowl: 
And pour over a different bag of chicken: 
Twist with a twisty tie: 
I plan on serving this meal either as whole chicken or pulling the meat into sandwiches. I think it would be great with a side of corn bread. 
Ok, can you handle one more??? I know these recipes are tough! This is the last one: 
Sticky Chicky
You will need: 

2 tablespoons Oil
2 tablespoon Soy Sauce
3/4 cup Peanut Butter
3 tablespoons Ketchup
1  teaspoon of Salt
Mix all ingredients in a bowl together: 

Pour over final bag of chicken: 
And seal again with a twisty tie: 
I plan on serving this meal over some cooked brown rice! Super easy!
Now because all of these chickens are in slow cooker liners, which are somewhat thin, I decided to put each bag into a freezer bag to prevent any freezer burn. 
You can label them each
“Thaw overnight. Cook in slow cooker for 4-6 hours”
or 
“Thaw overnight. Bake in oven for 45 minutes or until chicken reaches 165 degrees.”

These “dump chicken” meals are so easy to put together and always turn out great! 
Meals to date:
1 x Cranberry Chicken
1 x Apricot BBQ Chicken
1 x Sticky Chicky
I have a little confession to make– I have made a ton of meals so far, but honestly not had the time to blog about them all. I actually go into the hospital to have the baby in 4 days, so I doubt that I will be able to blog about the rest of them in time, so I will just keep posting these until I have them all up! Thanks for understanding! 

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Anne’s Easy Taco Dip

Well I don’t know if my friend Anne actually came up with this dip but I got the recipe from her so I will fondly refer to it as “hers.” (Love ya, Anne!)

Prepare for deliciousness… 

Anne's Easy Taco Dip
Serves 12
The best dip to bring to any party of just as a meal at home
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Prep Time
10 min
Total Time
10 min
Prep Time
10 min
Total Time
10 min
245 calories
8 g
60 g
20 g
9 g
12 g
126 g
379 g
2 g
0 g
6 g
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size
126g
Servings
12
Amount Per Serving
Calories 245
Calories from Fat 179
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 20g
31%
Saturated Fat 12g
60%
Trans Fat 0g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 5g
Cholesterol 60mg
20%
Sodium 379mg
16%
Total Carbohydrates 8g
3%
Dietary Fiber 2g
8%
Sugars 2g
Protein 9g
Vitamin A
14%
Vitamin C
2%
Calcium
21%
Iron
5%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your Daily Values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
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Ingredients
  1. 1 Can of Refried Beans
  2. 8 oz of Cream Cheese
  3. 1 Packet of Taco Dip
  4. 16 oz of sour cream
  5. 1 Jar of Salsa
  6. 2 cups Shredded Cheese
  7. 2 cups Shredded Lettuce
  8. 1 can Sliced Black Olives
Instructions
  1. Spread softened cream cheese on the bottom of the pan followed by the can of refried beans. Add the packet of taco seasoning to the sour cream and layer this on top of the refried beans. Finish off by layering salsa, cheese, lettuce and sliced black olives.
Notes
  1. Enjoy right away or let the dip settle for a bit so the taco seasoning isn't so potent.
beta
calories
245
fat
20g
protein
9g
carbs
8g
more
Between3Sisters http://between3sisters.com/

I love this taco dip recipe because it is so quick and easy! What’s your favorite taco dip recipe? Share below if you have a tip!