Bread Pudding

Ingredients

• 6 slices stale bread
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/2 cup raisins (optional)
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 1/2 cups milk
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Break bread into small pieces into an 8-inch square baking pan. Drizzle melted butter or margarine over bread. If desired, sprinkle with raisins.
3. In a medium mixing bowl, combine eggs, milk, sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla. Beat until well mixed. Pour over bread, and lightly push down with a fork until bread is covered and soaking up the egg mixture. Sprinkle with extra cinnamon sugar.
4. Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until the top springs back when lightly tapped.

Shepard's Pie

Ingredients

For the potatoes:

• 1 1/2 pounds russet potatoes
• 1/4 cup half-and-half
• 2 ounces unsalted butter
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 egg yolk

For the meat filling:

• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 2 carrots, peeled and diced small
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 pounds ground lamb or beef
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons tomato paste
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 teaspoons freshly chopped rosemary leaves
• 1 teaspoon freshly chopped thyme leaves
• 1/2 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
• 1/2 cup fresh or frozen English peas

Directions

1. Peel the potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch dice. Place in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water. Set over high heat, cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, uncover, decrease the heat to maintain a simmer and cook until tender and easily crushed with tongs, approximately 10 to 15 minutes. Place the half-and-half and butter into a microwave-safe container and heat in the microwave until warmed through, about 35 seconds. Drain the potatoes in a colander and then return to the saucepan. Mash the potatoes and then add the half and half, butter, salt and pepper and continue to mash until smooth. Stir in the yolk until well combined.
2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
3. While the potatoes are cooking, prepare the filling. Place the canola oil into a 12-inch saute pan and set over medium high heat. Once the oil shimmers, add the onion and carrots and saute just until they begin to take on color, approximately 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and stir to combine. Add the lamb, salt and pepper and cook until browned and cooked through, approximately 3 minutes. Sprinkle the meat with the flour and toss to coat, continuing to cook for another minute. Add the tomato paste, chicken broth, Worcestershire, rosemary, thyme, and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer slowly 10 to 12 minutes or until the sauce is thickened slightly.
4. Add the corn and peas to the lamb mixture and spread evenly into an 11 by 7-inch glass baking dish. Top with the mashed potatoes, starting around the edges to create a seal to prevent the mixture from bubbling up and smooth with a rubber spatula. Place on a parchment lined half sheet pan on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 25 minutes or just until the potatoes begin to brown. Remove to a cooling rack for at least 15 minutes before serving.

Chicken and Biscuits

Ingredients

• 2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 can (10-3/4 oz.) condensed cream of mushroom soup
• 1 can (10-3/4 oz.) condensed cream of celery soup
• 1/4 teaspoon ground thyme
• 2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 package (10 ounces) frozen peas and carrots
• 1 recipe Biscuits (or refrigerated biscuit dough)

Directions

1. Place chicken pieces in slow cooker. Pour soups over chicken. Season with thyme, parsley, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Cover; cook on LOW heat of slow cooker for 4 hours or until the chicken is tender and no longer pink the center.
2. Stir in frozen vegetables. Cover and cook 30 minutes longer until vegetables are heated through.
3. Bake biscuits accordingly. Spoon chicken and vegetable mixture over biscuits and serve.

Chicken Casserole

Ingredients

• 5 Tbsp. butter
• 2 c. chicken broth
• 1 (12 oz.) package cubed stuffing
• 3 chicken breasts
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 (10.5 oz.) cans cream of celery soup
• 1 c. milk
• 1 c. fresh breadcrumbs
• 3/4 c. parmesean cheese, grated
• 3/4 c. pecans, finely minced

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add broth and bring to a boil. Once the broth is boiling, remove from heat and mix in stuffing cubes. Set aside.
3. Place chicken in a baking dish. Drizzle oil over chicken and season with salt and pepper. Bake in oven for 20 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink, but still moist. Cut chicken into 1-inch cubes and set aside.
4. In a large mixing bowl, mix together the cream of celery soup and milk. Set aside.
5. To make topping, mix together fresh breadcrumbs, parmesean cheese, and minced pecans.
6. In a 13x9-inch baking dish, layer: stuffing at the bottom of the pan, chicken on the top, and the cream of celery soup poured evenly across the top of the entire casserole. Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture on top.
7. Bake casserole in preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until topping is browned.

Lasagna

Ingredients

• 1 (32 oz.) container ricotta cheese
• 2-3 Tbsp. Italian seasoning
• 1 egg
• 1 (24 oz.) jar pasta sauce
• 2 cups chicken sausage, cooked and cut up (Note: You can also use broccoli or another vegetable for a vegetarian lasagna)
• 12 no-boil lasagna noodles
• 1 (8 oz.) package shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese, Italian seasoning and egg; mix together with a wooden spoon until fully incorporated.
3. Meanwhile, in another bowl, mix together the pasta sauce and chicken sausage (or broccoli).
4. In a 13x9-inch baking dish, spoon just enough of the sauce (about 1/5 of the mixture) just so it evenly and fully covers the bottom of the pan. On top of the sauce, place 3 of the lasagna noodles side-by-side, so that they are not overlapping. Spread 1/3 of the ricotta cheese mixture over the lasagna noodles, making sure that the ends are completely covered (otherwise the noodles will dry out and burn). 
5. Spoon 1/4 of the remaining sauce over the cheese mixture, layer 2 more lasagna noodles, and another 1/3 of the remaining ricotta cheese. Repeat once more. Then, spoon half of what is left of the sauce over the remaining ricotta cheese, and layer the last 3 lasagna noodles (there should be 4 layers in total now). On top of the lasagna noodles, completely cover with the last of the sauce. Sprinkle entire lasagna with the shredded mozzarella.
6. Bake lasagna in preheated oven for 1 hour, or until mozzarella is golden and the lasagna noodles are soft.
7. Let sit for 30 minutes before serving.

Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Ingredients

• 3 Tbsp. butter
• 3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
• 1 Tbsp. garlic salt
• 2 1/2 c. milk
• 8 oz. sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 lb. elbow macaroni pasta
• Buttered breadcrumbs

Directions

1. Melt butter in a medium saucepan. Add flour and garlic and whisk until there are no lumps. Add milk and stir constantly until mixture thickens.
2. Grate cheese and add to milk mixture. Stir.
3. Prepare elbow macaroni according to package directions. Drain.
4. Add cheese mixture to the cooked and drained macaroni. Poor into a 9x13 casserole dish. Top with buttered breadcrumbs.
5. Bake, covered with foil, for 20 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Chicken Laffy Daffy

Ingredients

• 4 to 6 chicken breasts, boneless
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 can cream of celery soup
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
• 1 cup milk
• 1 (8 oz.) pkg. Monterey Jack shredded cheese
• 3-4 cups Peppridge Farm stuffing cubes

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Place chicken in a 13x9-inch baking dish. Drizzle oil over chicken and season with salt and pepper. Bake in oven for 20 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink, but still moist.
3. Cut chicken into small pieces. Add soups, mayonnaise, milk, stuffing cubes, and cheese. 
4. Bake casserole in preheated oven, covered, for 25 to 30 minutes, or until heated through.