Squash Casserole

When summer squash season rolls around and you need a way to use up your yellow squash bounty, what better dish to make than a creamy, cheesy, and buttery squash casserole? This classic combines fresh squash and onion with a creamy sauce and a crunchy cracker-Cheddar cheese topping.

Ingredients

• 4 cups sliced yellow squash

• ½ cup chopped onion

• ¼ cup water, or more as needed

• 35 buttery round crackers, crushed

• 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

• 2 eggs, beaten

• ¾ cup milk

• ¼ cup butter, melted

• 1 teaspoon salt

• ground black pepper to taste

• 2 tablespoons butter

Directions

• Step 1

  Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

• Step 2

  Place squash and onion in a large skillet over medium heat. Pour in water. Cover, and cook until squash is tender, about 5 minutes. Drain well, and place in a large bowl.

• Step 3

  Mix cracker crumbs and cheese together in a medium bowl. Stir half of the cracker mixture into the cooked squash and onions.

• Step 4

  Mix eggs and milk together in a small bowl, then add to squash mixture.

• Step 5

  Stir in 1/4 cup melted butter, and season with salt and pepper. Spread into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining cracker mixture, and dot with 2 tablespoons butter.

• Step 6

  Bake in the preheated oven until lightly browned, about 25 minutes.

Primavera Casserole

This Primavera Casserole with spring vegetables is a delightful blend of freshness and flavor that captures the essence of the season. Packed with a colorful medley of vibrant spring vegetables like crisp asparagus, tender peas, and yellow squash, this casserole is a celebration of nature's bounty.

Ingredients

• 8 ounces shaped pasta such as gemelli, fusilli, or rotelle

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 large red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch dice

• 1 large yellow squash, quartered lengthwise, cut into 1/4-inch pieces

• 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

• 4 ounces sugar snap peas, strings removed, halved

• 6 asparagus spears, ends trimmed, cut into 1-inch pieces

• 2 tablespoons flour

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 2 cups milk

• 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved

• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided

• ⅓ cup chopped fresh basil

• ¼ cup panko bread crumbs

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

2. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and transfer to a large bowl.

3. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook bell pepper, squash, and garlic, stirring occasionally, until pepper is crisp-tender, 7 to 10 minutes. Add snap peas and asparagus and cook, stirring, until asparagus is crisp-tender, 2 minutes more.

4. Put flour and salt in a bowl and whisk in milk until smooth. Add flour mixture to skillet and bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently, until sauce is lightly thickened, 3 to 5 minutes.

5. Pour mixture over pasta and stir in tomatoes, 3/4 cup parmesan, and basil. Transfer to prepared baking dish and sprinkle with panko and remaining 1/4 cup parmesan. Bake until top is lightly golden and sauce is bubbling, about 15 minutes.

Corn Pudding

Corn pudding is comfort food at its best. This creamy corn casserole is easy to make with both whole kernel and cream-style corn, resulting in a custardy pudding that will be a welcome addition to your dinner table.

Ingredients

• 5 large eggs

• ⅓ cup butter, melted and slightly cooled

• ¼ cup white sugar

• ½ cup milk

• ¼ cup cornstarch

• 1 (15.25 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained

• 2 (14.75 ounce) cans cream-style corn

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease a 2-quart casserole dish.

2. Whisk eggs lightly in a large bowl. Add milk, melted butter, sugar, and cornstarch; whisk until well combined. Stir in drained corn and cream-style corn until fully blended. Pour mixture into the prepared casserole dish.

3. Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 1 hour.

Egg and Sausage Casserole

Maybe you're getting up early to enjoy an Easter sunrise service at your church, or perhaps you have company over for the weekend.  This casserole is great way to make a filling breakfast that is sure to please.

Ingredients

• 1 pound pork sausage
• 1 (8 ounce) package refrigerated crescent roll dough
• 8 eggs, beaten
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano

Directions

1. Place sausage in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble, and set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
3. Line the bottom of the prepared baking dish with crescent roll dough, and sprinkle with crumbled sausage. In a large bowl, mix beaten eggs, mozzarella, and Cheddar. Season the mixture with oregano, and pour over the sausage and crescent rolls.
4. Bake 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Rise and Shine Casserole

Getting up early for a sunrise service on Sunday?  Looking for something to do with leftover Easter ham?  Have a ton of family spending the night, and you need breakfast fast?  Give this recipe a shot!

Ingredients

• 8 frozen hash brown patties
• 4 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1 pound cooked ham, cut into cubes
• 7 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
2. Arrange hash brown patties on the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle Cheddar cheese and ham over patties.
3. Beat eggs, milk, salt, and mustard in a large bowl using a whisk; pour over ham. Cover baking dish with aluminum foil.
4. Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour. Remove foil and bake until edges are golden brown and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, about 15 minutes more.

But wait!  This recipe can also be tweaked by adding a ton of other ingredients like chives, mushrooms, and other veggies.  Don't have hash browns?  Substitute with toast, bagels, or other goodies.

Eggs Benedict Casserole

Ingredients

• cooking spray
• 8 large eggs
• 2 cups milk
• 3 green onions, chopped
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 pound Canadian bacon, cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 6 English muffins, cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1 (.9 ounce) package hollandaise sauce mix
• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 cup margarine

Directions

1. Spray 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Whisk eggs, 2 cups milk, green onions, onion powder, and salt together in a large bowl until well mixed.
3. Layer half the Canadian bacon in the prepared baking dish. Spread English muffins over meat and top with remaining Canadian bacon. Pour egg mixture over casserole. Cover baking dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
4. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
5. Sprinkle casserole with paprika; cover with aluminum foil.
6. Bake in preheated oven until eggs are nearly set, about 30 minutes; remove foil. Continue baking until eggs are completely set, about 15 more minutes.
7. Whisk hollandaise sauce mix with 1 cup milk in a saucepan. Add margarine and bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to medium-low, simmer, and stir until thickened, about 1 minute. Drizzle sauce over casserole to serve.