Be Casserole Ready

Let us help you put together a delicious meal on the run.

Cooked and ready-to-go main ingredients in the freezer are like money in the bank. If you keep basic pantry items (such as pastas and canned tomatoes) and frozen items (such as mashed potatoes and veggies) on hand, you'll be able to have a super dinner on the table in just about no time at all. See page 76 for more great recipes and information. -KATE NICHOLSON

Loaded Barbecue Baked Potato Casserole

MAKES 8 SERVINGS

PREP: 15 MIN.,COOK: 10 MIN., BAKE: 45 MIN., STAND: 10 MIN.

We streamlined Linda Wells's luscious casserole with frozen mashed potatoes and barbecue pork from the supermarket to make it more weeknight friendly.

6 bacon slices

1 (22-oz.) package frozen mashed potatoes

2 cups milk

1 cup (4 oz.) shredded Monterey Jack cheese with peppers

½ (8-oz.) package 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, cut into cubes

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. pepper

3 cups (12 oz.) shredded Cheddar cheese, divided

1 (8-oz.) container light sour cream

1 (4-oz.) can chopped green chiles, drained

3 cups shredded barbecue pork or beef

¾ cup barbecue sauce

Garnish: chopped fresh parsley

1. Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat 8 to 10 minutes or until crisp; remove bacon, and drain on paper towels, reserving 2 Tbsp. drippings. Crumble bacon; set aside.

2. Stir together reserved bacon drippings, potatoes, next 5 ingredients, and 2 cups Cheddar cheese in a large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at HIGH 4 minutes. Stir in sour cream and chiles until well blended.

3. Spoon potato mixture into a lightly greased 13- ? 9-inch baking dish. Sprinkle evenly with bacon and remaining 1 cup Cheddar cheese. Arrange pork evenly over cheese. Drizzle barbecue sauce evenly over pork.

4. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Garnish, if desired.

LINDA WELLS

CALERA, ALABAMA

Easy Beef Lasagna

MAKES 6 TO 8 SERVINGS

PREP: 15 MIN.; BAKE: 1 HR., 15 MIN.; STAND: 10 MIN.

Fire-roasted tomatoes in the pasta sauce add robust flavor, but your favorite sauce will work just fine.

3 cups cooked lean ground beef

1 (26-oz.) jar fire-roasted tomato-and-garlic pasta sauce

1 (15-oz.) container ricotta cheese

½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese

6 no-cook lasagna noodles

2 cups (8 oz.) shredded mozzarella cheese

1. Stir together ground beef and pasta sauce. Stir together ricotta cheese and Parmesan cheese.

2. Spread one-third of meat sauce in a lightly greased 11- x 7-inch baking dish; layer with 3 lasagna noodles and half each of ricotta cheese mixture and shredded mozzarella cheese. Repeat procedure once. Spread remaining one-third of meat sauce over mozzarella cheese.

3. Bake, covered, at 375° for 1 hour; uncover and bake 15 more minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

WENDY GAULE

DALLAS, TEXAS

Note: For testing purposes only, we used Classico Fire Roasted Tomato & Garlic pasta sauce and Barilla Oven Ready Lasagne.

Easy Turkey Lasagna: Substitute 3 cups cooked ground turkey for 3 cups cooked lean ground beef, and proceed as directed.

Copyright Southern Progress Corporation Feb 2007
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