Ronald Reagan Macaroni

Don't ask...I have no idea why this is named after Ronald Reagan. I just know it's easy, and it's basically like homemade mac and cheese with diced ham and ritz crackers. The kids love it :)
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Ronald Reagan Macaroni

Ingredients:
8 oz. hot cooked macaroni noodles
shredded cheddar cheese to your liking
diced ham
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups milk (See instructions below before you pour the whole 2 cups in!)
Ritz crackers, crushed

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. In a greased casserole dish, layer cooked macaroni, cheese, salt, pepper, and ham.
3. Pour milk over all...JUST until you can see the milk rising up through the pasta. 2 cups is often too much in my opinion.
4. Spread crackers over top and bake 40 minutes or until crackers are turning light brown.

Hashbrown Casserole

I don't usually MAKE side dishes. It takes enough planning and time and effort to make a main dish, so I typically just throw on some veggies and bread to complete our meals around here. This one is so simple, though, and it's a good "make ahead of time" dish, too, so you can put it in the fridge the night before.
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Hashbrown Casserole

Ingredients:
2 lb. bag of frozen, shredded hashbrown potatoes (I don't use the entire bag)
1/4 c melted butter
10.75 oz can of condensed cream of chicken soup
8 oz. sour cream
1 c shredded cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste
crushed cornflakes (I don't crush mine very much...do as you wish :) )

Instructions:
1. Let the hashbrowns sit out for about 30 minutes before you're ready to work with them. Throw them on the floor like you would a bag of ice if they still feel hard. You need them to be easy to mix with other ingredients.
2. Combine all ingredients but hashbrowns and cornflakes into a large!! bowl.
3. Mix in hashbrowns a little at a time.
4. Pour all into very lightly greased baking pan.
5. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes.
6. Add cornflakes on top for last 10 minutes of baking.

I love casseroles!

Casseroles are wonderful. You can easily add/subtract ingredients on a whim without ruining the whole dish, and best of all, you can make it during a quiet, less eventful time of your day and have it ready to throw in the oven during the crazy afternoon hours. THIS is one of my favorite casseroles. I only make part of it early on in the day, and add the rest right before cooking. Still...a lot of time and stress is saved.

A friend brought this to us after one of the babies was born, and I don't know what it is officially called. I have named it "Dawn's Chicken Casserole," because that's who made it for us. And so, without further ado, ...

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Dawn's Chicken Casserole

Ingredients:
4 large chicken breasts, boiled
16 oz. sour cream (yes, you read that correctly...probably why this is so yummy :) )
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 package Chicken-flavored Stuffing Mix (I like Kraft's Stove Top)

Instructions:
1. Cut up chicken and place in greased casserole dish.
2. Mix sour cream and soup in a bowl and fold into chicken.
3. Prepare stuffing according to package directions.
4. Press stuffing lightly onto chicken mixture.
5. Bake at 350 for about 45 minutes or until stuffing looks a little brown and crispy.

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Dawn brought us a bag of steamed corn and some simple pre-made rolls from the grocery store bakery, and it ended up being one of those meals I felt like I could mix up together in a bowl and eat just like that.

Cheesy Chicken Casserole

This is one meal friends have brought us after I have had babies. It is yummy and freezes well! Depending on your family's taste for spicy foods, you can adjust the amount of chili powder/cayenne pepper to your liking.

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Cheesy Chicken Casserole

Ingredients:
Cooked chicken (boiled is great)
1 pkg. spaghetti
3 c shredded cheddar cheese
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1/2 c chicken broth
1 T seasoned salt
can of diced tomatoes
chili powder or cayenne pepper

Instructions:
1. Boil spaghetti
2. Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces
3. Drain tomatoes
4. Put all in a bowl. Pour in 2 cans of cream of mushroom soup.
5. Pour in 2 c cheese
6. Add chicken broth
7. Add spices
8. Pour spaghetti mixture into casserole dish. Sprinkle rest of cheese on top.
9. Bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes.