Casseroles

A traditional holiday classic.

Just like the one your mom made, only healthier. Everyone loves the green bean casserole. Here I'll show you one one that doesn't take much longer to make and it’s real food, not processed!

This is sort of one of those dump casseroles that come together quickly and doesn’t require a lot of effort or dishes.

This chicken casserole will remind you of chilies Rellenos. If you like those you’ll be a big fan of this low-carb dish. Simple to put together and toss in the oven. And Voila! Dinner. I serve with slices of avocado on the side dusted with a bit of grated sea salt.

I’ll lay out the instructions with chicken, but it can also be made with ham, tuna (canned or fresh cooked) smoked chicken or even a pulled apart rotisserie chicken.

I don’t know exactly how to describe this dish but if you like French Onion Soup you are going to love this. You might consider it a side dish, or it would be great with a steak.

I found this recipe online. I didn’t have to do much to make it Zola. It tastes very much like a cheeseburger. The way to make it exciting though is to make sure you pile on the toppings that you like on your burger. You can feed the whole family with this and no one will miss the bun.

This is elegant comfort food. It’s sort of like the American version of the French dish called Coquille St. Jacque.

We had a party in honor of his parents Jen (our Operations Manager), and her husband Flint (the handsome professional photographer). It was a baby shower with a gift emphasis of diapers. Now, there’s a theme. Can’t get enough.

As far as brunch casseroles go, this one is very easy to make and pleases the crowd. It can be made ahead and heated the day of the party.

You know you’re going to eat them sometime. Potatoes that is. I just hope you’ll only do it on special occasions.

This dish is similar to the fancy French dish called Coquilles St. Jacques but it’s much easier to make. Simple ingredients, a little sautéing and then pop it under the broiler. With a salad and side veggie this is fancy enough to serve to company.

This can really be made with just about any veggies you have in the fridge. Other ideas include bell peppers, onions, broccoli and more.

This dish is a combination of my recipe for Chicken Mamou and a casserole. Chicken Mamou is a traditional Cajun dish. “Mamou” is their word for Grandma, so this is true comfort food.

This makes cozy comfort food. You can put it together pretty fast and pop it in the oven so you can do other things while dinner finishes up. I like dishes like this because it gives me time to load the dishwasher with the cooking tools and the kitchen is cleaned except for the actual eating dishes before I even sit down for the meal. Perfect dish for a pot luck too.

With this recipe, I’ve included about 25% of the pasta that would be in most similar recipes. That’s a big secret. Just cut it back. You won’t miss it. This casserole focuses on the veggies, the protein and the sauce.

This is a hearty and satisfying casserole for those who would love a traditional lasagna but know the noodles are not smart.

This lasagna has no noodles. Standing in for the noodle layers are zucchini sliced the long way.

Weeknights you need something easy to put together and fast to get on the table. This is a perfect option.

This dish is easy to put together. The spouse or the kids can help chop and it comes together fast. You can be doing other things while your dinner bakes in the oven. Makes great leftovers, too.

I was shocked. I have made this casserole so many times in so many variations -- I had no idea I had never typed it up to share with all of you! I am going to give you one version here but I’ll also editorialize a bit and give you other options to experiment. This recipe is so easy it comes together in under 15 minutes and then you just bake to heat it. A novice can handle this one for sure…and a busy parent can get a kid-friendly recipe on the table fast.

This tastes a lot like pizza with no crust. Almost a cross between lasagna and pizza. It’s just a simple, comfort food dish to eat out of a bowl.

You’ll love this comfort food dish when you want to eat curled up on the sofa watching a movie. It’s also a hit with the little kids and people who don’t like spicy food.

I had a hankering last night for a homey casserole. It had been raining all day and the temperature dropped, so this hit the spot.

Another great recipe the whole family will enjoy.

This is my take on an interesting combination of Asian and Italian. I don’t often think to use pasta as part of an Asian dish but this combination came together quite well.

You can make these with chicken or you can make it with leftover turkey from the feast, pork roast that has been chopped up or shredded or even cooked ground sirloin.

Pasta doesn’t have to be banned from ZLife. You just need to limit it and monitor how you use it. If you keep in mind that a FULL portion is a half cup cooked you’re on the right track. And just eat it on a special occasion.

Lobster thermidor is a classic dish. It’s decadent because of the cost of the lobster but it also has one of the dreamiest sauces you can possibly imagine.

This sounds like it would turn out like quiche but it really is more casserole-ish.

This will remind you of a No-Noodle lasagna. Perfect for an easy weeknight meal or when you want to take a casserole to an event.

I invented this casserole as a “Plan B” option. I went to the store thinking I was going to make stuffed poblanos but the chilies were all so small I just bought a bunch of them and went home.

This is a throw it together FAST meal for any weeknight. It is not a spicy dish but you can if you wish, add hot sauce at the table for a little extra zing.