Big Mac Tater Tot Casserole

 

 OK, I have a confession to make. I absolutely love McDonald's. Like seriously, LOVE it. The fries, the Quarter Pounder with cheese, even the filet o'fish, and especially, the Big Mac. Frankly, I don't think I've ever met a fast food burger I didn't like. Back story... when I was little, it was always a special treat to stop and get McDonald's, so I always think of it that way. Is it terrible for you? Probably. But so is ice cream. And fried foods. And chocolate cake. But I'm certainly not giving up any of that. Everything in moderation, right?  Now, as an adult, I still think of having McDonald's as a treat, reserved only for when I go on a vacation involving long drives, or sometimes as a matter of convenience when I'm hopping between theme parks.

  And then I saw this casserole on a tiktok video. I wish I could remember whose it was, but I forgot to note who posted it, or whose recipe this is. But all I could think was "I'm making this!" Of course, true to form, I didn't leave the recipe alone. I tweaked it ever so slightly, just to make it that much better.

 It has all the flavors of a Big Mac, and you'll know it as soon as you taste your first bite. It's super simple to make, and it feeds a crowd too. And when you're shopping for ingredients, you don't even have to write anything down. All you need to do it sing the jingle.. "Two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions, on a ses'me seed bun!" 

You sang it with me , didn't you..LOL 

Love it. Enjoy!

 

 

 

1 bag frozen tater tots
1 1/2 lbs ground beef, browned and seasoned with salt and pepper
1 cup Thousand Island dressing
1/4 cup chopped dill pickles
1 onion, finely minced

Velveeta or American cheese
Sesame seeds
Shredded lettuce, for serving

 

Arrange tater tots in one layer across the bottom of a 9x13 casserole dish.
Place in oven. Turn on oven to 350ºF. Let it heat up to crisp the tots slightly.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, stir together browned beef, dressing, pickles, and onions. 

Remove dish from oven.  Add a layer of sliced or shredded cheese over the tater tots.
Now pour the beef mixture over the cheese.
Do another single layer of tater tots, then another layer of cheese.
Sprinkle sesame seeds over the top. 

Bake for 30-40 minutes until bubbly and heated through.

Serve with some shredded lettuce over the top, and maybe a little ketchup on the side.

 

 

 

Tips:

The original recipe included ketchup and mayonnaise in addition to the Thousand Island dressing, and it also included sweet pickle relish instead of dill pickles. First, the dressing and relish used together made it too sweet. And I'm pretty sure they use dill pickles on a Big Mac, so I switched the relish to dill pickles. Second, it seemed like A LOT of "special sauce" to add ketchup and mayonnaise in addition to the dressing. That just seemed kind of redundant to me. Of course, as I always say, if you like a lot, add a lot, and you know I also say more is more, but in this case, I don't think it needs so much. And finally, I added an extra layer of cheese as I was layering, I sprinkled it with sesame seeds before I baked it, and I served it with shredded lettuce on top, since this was not even included in the original recipe. I mean, come on, it's in the jingle! It needed to be there! 

Oh! and one more thing.. if you love pickles as much as I do, try serving this with a little Heinz Pickle Ketchup instead of regular ketchup on the side. It's so good!

Chicken Parm Bubble Up Bake

 

 

   OK, this is about the easiest "shortcut meal" you'll ever make. It reminds of me a show that used to be on the food network called Semi-Homemade, remember that one? It basically showed recipes where you add store bought ingredients with a few fresh ingredients. Lots of time savers and easy short cuts. I don't know if I would spend the extra money on diced onions rather than just cutting one myself, but you get the idea. Side note, it always cracked me up that the entire kitchen was always redecorated for each themed episode, and the fact that she would called her table a "table-scape". Also she used to finish each episode by making a cocktail. Too funny. But I digress..

 This casserole is super simple because you only need a few store bought ingredients, and then you just throw 'em all together and bake. Love it! It feeds a crowd too, which is always a plus in my book.

 So if you're in a rush to get something hearty on the table, this one's a keeper. Tbh I have no idea whose recipe it is. There are actually lots of different variations of "bubble up" recipes where you add cut up biscuits to a casserole and then they bubble up when you bake them. I'm guessing it's a Pillsbury invention? Who knows? 

 Anyway, if you like chicken parm, you'll love this!

1 (24oz) bag frozen chicken bites or popcorn chicken nuggets (I used Tyson)

1 (24oz) jar of your preferred tomato sauce (I used Prego)

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1 can Pillsbury Grands biscuits

Parmesan cheese

Italian spices

First, cut the pieces of chicken down to bite size, if needed. Now add the chicken bites, tomato sauce, and half of the mozzarella cheese to a large bowl. Stir to coat with sauce. 

Open the can of biscuits. Cut each one into 6 pieces. (cut each one one half, then cut each half into thirds). Add them to the bowl with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning. Toss well.

Pour all into a sprayed casserole dish.  Bake in a 350º oven for about 25 minutes. Top with remaining mozzarella cheese. Add an extra sprinkle of Italian seasoning, if desired. Bake for an addition 20-25 minutes. It's done when all the biscuits are "bubbled up".

Let stand for a few minutes before serving. 

 

 

Tips:

 Feel free to add any extras you want. Do you like it spicy? Add a few pinches of crushed red pepper flakes. Do you like extra garlic? Go for it. Also, the amounts are just guidelines. Do you want it to be more meaty or saucy? or cheesy?? or biscuit-y? Add more! If you like a lot, add a lot! Adjust it to how you like it. You could even turn it into a pizza bake by using pizza sauce and adding diced pepperoni, sauteed onions, mushrooms, and bell peppers, etc. Yum!

Btw, I should mention, the original recipe said to bake it at 375, but it seems to me the the outside biscuits always start to overbake before the ones in the center are done. I've had bubble ups with burnt biscuits on the outside and raw ones in the center. So I decided to bake it at a slightly lower temperature (350), just to let the center biscuits catch up. Problem solved!

Chicken Fajita Rice Bake

 

 Every so often, I'll go back into my archives and I'll find a recipe that I made a while ago, but never got around to sharing. Dontcha just hate when time gets away from you like that?? Anyway, I made this dish, literally years ago, and it packs so much flavor, it's definitely worth a revisit. 

 It's all of your favorite chicken fajita flavors in the form of a casserole, easy to prep, easy to assemble, feeds a crowd. Sounds like a no-brainer to me! How can this be wrong?

 The recipe is from Delish, (you know those quick cooking videos that are bouncing around the interwebs?), so you know it's a keeper. 

 Most times I say that casseroles are great on cooler nights, but I think this one is a little bit lighter than your usual "January-freezing outside-stick to your ribs" comfort food. It's perfect for the  "end of summer, it's gonna be Fall soon" type of cooler weather. Know what I mean? 

If you like a chicken fajita, I know you'll love this one! Enjoy!

For the spice mix:

1 tbs chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp kosher salt 

1 tsp black pepper

For the casserole

1 cup long grain white rice

2 cups chicken broth

1 onion, sliced

1 green bell pepper, sliced

1 red bell pepper, sliced

1 1/2 lbs chicken tenders, cut into chunks, if desired

1 tbs olive oil

Heat oven to 375ºF.

In a mixing bowl stir together all spice mix ingredients. Set aside.

Place the rice and chicken broth in a 9x13 casserole dish. 

Add the remaining ingredients to the mixing bowl, and toss everything until evenly coated with the spice mix. Arrange chicken and veggies evenly over the rice. Cover with foil.

Bake for about 35-45 minutes. 

To serve, top with a a little salsa, shredded cheese, some cilantro or parsley, and a little squeeze of lime. 

Tips:

Everyone's oven is different, so the rule of thumb is: Watch the casserole, not the clock. About 30 minutes in, give it a quick check. You'll know it's done when the chicken is cooked through, the veggies are tender, and the broth is absorbed.

Feel free to top this with any other fajita toppings. My favorites are a few slices of jalapeno, some home made guacamole and a big dollop of sour cream. If you want more heat, add some crushed red pepper flakes or your favorite hot sauce or taco sauce. You do you!