Cheesy Potato Breakfast Bake

I made this for breakfast on Christmas morning. I had bought a bunch of cottage cheese when it was on sale and realized that I still had a bunch leftover. I thought this was great! It was so easy to put together and delicious to eat! I'll definitely use it going forward with company!

Cheesy Potato Breakfast Bake

Cheesy Potato Breakfast Bake-adapted from TheKitchenCookie
Total Time: 1 hour
Serves 6

• 1 bag frozen shredded hash browns
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1/4 cup onion, chopped
• 8 ounces mushrooms, chopped
• 1 pound cooked ham, diced
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided.
• 24 ounces small curd, fat free cottage cheese
• 6 eggs, beaten

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Layer, in order, in a 9x13 inch baking pan hash browns, butter, onion, mushrooms, ham, 1 cup cheddar cheese, and cottage cheese. Top with eggs, and remaining cheese. Cook in oven for about one hour.

Light Chicken Wild Rice Soup

This definitely wasn't one of the best soups I've ever had, but I'd still make it again. It's great in the wintertime!

Light Chicken Wild Soup-adapted from Pillsbury's Fast and Healthy Cookbook
Total Time: 20
Serves 6

• 3 cooked chicken breasts, cut into 3/4 inch pieces
• 1 box fast-cooking long-grain and wild rice mix
• 2 cans fat free chicken broth
• 4 cups milk
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons diced pimentos
• 1 tablespoon dry sherry

In a large saucepan, mix chicken, rice and broth. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 5 to 10 minutes or until rice is tender.

In a small jar with tight fitting lid, shake 1 cup of the milk and flour until well blended.

Add flour mixture, remaining 3 cups milk, pimientos and sherry to rice mixture; cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until soup is bubbly and thickened.

Onion Veggie Dip

I made this dip for a family holiday party. To be honest, we didn't really eat much of it as there was so much other food around. I liked it, but would definitely have to make it again.

Onion Veggie Dip-adapted from Taste of Home
Total Time: 30 Minutes
Makes 2 cups

• 2 cups sour cream
• 3 tablespoons dried minced onion
• 3 tablespoons dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
• Assorted vegetables

Combine first four ingredients. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. 

Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes

I love mashed potatoes. And I tend to think that I make some of the best potatoes. I hate peeling them, so I don't-I just throw them in quartered. I then usually add some milk, butter and seasoned salt and pepper. If I have any shredded cheese or sour cream, I'll add those too.

This is a recipe I've been wanting to try for awhile now. This is a great recipe when you have some buttermilk left over from a recipe and you don't know what you're going to do with it! I'll definitely make it again!

Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes-adapted from Meals Made Easy by Real Simple
Total Time: 30 Minutes
Serves 6

• 3/4  pound russet potatoes, quartered (and peeled, if desired)
• 2  teaspoons  kosher salt
• 4  tablespoons  butter
• 1  cup  buttermilk
• 1/4  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
• 1/8  teaspoon  freshly grated nutmeg

Place the potatoes in a saucepan with 3 quarts of cold water and 1 teaspoon of the salt. Bring to a boil and cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain well and return to saucepan; mash.

Put all ingredients into the same pan and mix well until heated through.

Chicken and Brown Rice Casserole

I made this recipe while I went to work one day, and then we ended up having other plans that night. So the slow cooker went straight into the fridge. Eating this the next day wasn't very good. However, the blog I found it on (A Year of Slow Cooking), said it was great so I'm going to try it again someday!

Chicken and Brown Rice Casserole-adapted from Make it Fast, Cook it Slow by Stephanie O'Dea
Total Time: 8 hours
Serves 6

• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1 1/2 cups raw brown rice
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1 small onion, diced
• 8 ounces sliced mushrooms
• 5 boneless chicken breasts

Combine all of the chicken broth and 1/2 cup of milk in a sauce pan and heat over medium heat on the stove. In a separate bowl, whisk the remaining 1 cup of milk with 3/4 cup flour.
When the broth and milk have begun to boil, reduce heat, and slowly stir in the milk and flour mixture. When everything is fully incorporated, set the pot aside to cool.

Spray the inside of your crockpot with cooking spray.

Add the rice and seasonings to your crock. Chop up the onion, and add it with the mushrooms. Stir in your broth, flour, and milk mixture. The rice will turn a bit red from the paprika.

Lay the chicken pieces on top. 

Cover and cook on high for 4 hours, or low for about 8. I cooked ours on high for 4, and let it stay warm for another 2.

When you take the lid off of the crockpot, stir the rice. If the rice is fully cooked and you have extra liquid, keep the lid off for about 15 minutes. The liquid will absorb quickly.