Empty-Your-Pantry Casserole

By: Quirky Momma

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Struggling with what to make for dinner when you have an empty pantry and don’t know any empty pantry recipes? The answer is empty your pantry casserole of course!!

When I am falling short on groceries the first thing I think to make is an easy casserole. Typically, you’ll already have the ingredients on hand and what is easier than throwing some ingredients into a pan!?

I love this casserole recipe. It is so versatile. You can make it with almost anything. This is a great way to use your leftovers and a great easy dinner recipe for beginners!

What’s A Casserole?

If you’ve never had a casserole you’re in for a treat. A casserole is a meal cooked in a deep dish that is usually hearty and a saucy, creamy, or cheesy dish. A lot of times there is also a meat and carb ingredient, though you have exceptions like sweet potato casserole.

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Empty Your Pantry Casserole

This recipe is adapted from the Mix and Match Casserole Recipe. via CDKitchen

Casserole Ingredients:

• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup water
• 1-2 Tablespoons of oil (bacon grease, olive oil, or sour cream, etc.)
• Pinch of salt
• Pepper or spices to taste

Now pick one option from each category below to add to your casserole:

Pick a Sauce For Your Casserole:

• Can of cream of mushroom soup, condensed — undiluted
• Can of ounces cream of celery soup, condensed — undiluted
• Can of ounces cream of chicken soup, condensed — undiluted
• Can of ounces cheddar cheese soup — undiluted
• Can of diced tomatoes with basil, garlic and oregano — undrained
• Caramelized onions or mushrooms in beef broth
• 1 Cup of Sour Cream

…and then your vegetable (2-3 cups worth):

Green beans, sweet peas or corn, Asparagus tips, chopped spinach, frozen veggies, even kale or cabbage will work.

Pick a meat or protein source (about 2 cups worth):

• Canned white tuna in spring water — drained and flaked
• Chopped cooked chicken
• Diced cooked ham
• Chopped cooked turkey
• 1 pound ground beef — browned and drained
  
• Lentils
• Beans

Add a starch of your choice:

Or… cover with mashed potatoes, hash browns, biscuits, or a pie crust for a meat pie variation.

Extras:

• 3 ounces canned mushroom slices — drained
• 1/4 cup sliced black olives
• 4 1/2 ounces chopped green chiles
• 1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper — or green
• 2 cloves garlic — minced
• 1 1/4 ounce taco seasoning mix
• 1/4 cup chopped onion or scallions
• 1/4 cup chopped celery
  

Top it off with:

• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 cup herb-seasoned stuffing mix
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• Gravy
• 1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese
• 1 cup round buttery crackers — crushed
• 1/2 cup fine dry breadcrumbs
  

Now let’s put it all together!

Combine sour cream, milk, water, salt and pepper with your sauce choice (omit sour cream and milk when using tomatoes). Stir in vegetable, starch, protein, and, if desired, extras. Spoon into a lightly greased 13 x 9 inch baking dish.

Bake, covered, at 350 degrees F for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle with toppings; bake 10 more minutes.

This recipe is adapted from the Mix and Match Casserole from CDKitchen

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour 20 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients

Sauce Starter:

• 8 ounces sour cream
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper

Choose 1 Sauce:

• can of cream of mushroom soup, condensed -- undiluted
• can of cream of celery soup, condensed -- undiluted
• can of cream of chicken soup, condensed -- undiluted
• can of cheddar cheese soup -- undiluted
• can of diced tomatoes with basil, garlic and oregano -- undrained
• caramelized onions or mushrooms in beef broth

Choose Vegetable (2-3 cups worth):

• green beans
• sweet peas
• corn
• asparagus tips
• chopped spinach
• frozen veggies
• kale or cabbage

Choose a Protein

• canned white tuna in spring water -- drained and flaked
• chopped cooked chicken
• diced cooked ham
• chopped cooked turkey
• 1 pound ground beef -- browned and drained

Choose a Starch (skip if choosing a starch-based topping):

• 2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
• 1 cup uncooked regular rice
• 4 cups uncooked wide egg noodles
• 3 cups uncooked small pasta shells

Choose 1 or 2 Extras:

• 3 ounces canned mushroom slices -- drained
• 1/4 cup sliced black olives
• 4 1/2 ounces chopped green chiles
• 1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper -- or green
• 2 cloves garlic -- minced
• 1 1/4 ounce taco seasoning mix
• 1/4 cup chopped onion or scallions
• 1/4 cup chopped celery

Choose a Topping:

• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 cup herb-seasoned stuffing mix
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese
• 1 cup round buttery crackers -- crushed
• 1/2 cup fine dry breadcrumbs
• gravy
• mashed potatoes
• hash browns
• biscuits
• pie crust

Instructions

1. Combine sour cream, milk, water, salt and pepper with your sauce choice (omit sour cream and milk when using tomatoes).
2. Stir in vegetable, starch, protein, and, if desired, extras.
3. Spoon into a lightly greased 13 x 9 inch baking dish. If using a starch-based topping, add it now.
4. Bake, covered, at 350 degrees F for 1 hour and 10 minutes.
5. Uncover and sprinkle with toppings; bake 10 more minutes.

Here is another empty pantry dinner idea…

King Ranch Chicken Casserole – yum!

Want some more delicious, easy dinner ideas? We’ve got you covered…

Leave a comment: What did you add to your casserole? We’d love to hear!

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Source: https://kidsactivitiesblog.com/413/what-is-for-dinner/

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