Hi friends, did you have an organized menu week last week? Having a menu plan really is a game changer isn’t it? Gosh I don’t know how I ever managed without one and I know I am not alone in thinking that. And yet there are still so many that have never given menu planning a go. Perhaps this is your week! What will it take for me to convince you? 🙂
I took a photography course this weekend and am so excited to finally know how to shot in manual mode. I can’t wait to play around and practice some more this week and I suspect my family may get annoyed with me as I make them wait “just one more minute” for dinner so I can take just one more picture of it. Ha! Maybe I should start with my containers and have a photoshoot with them. They would never complain to me, they love me and are so happy with me when I take them out to play 🙂
So here’s my question for you today. I absolutely LOVE casseroles…I love to make them and I love to eat them. One dish meals are so easy to throw together and usually mean fewer dishes to clean up as well. They are great to throw in the freezer and for potlucks too. However I have a girlfriend who can’t stand them. She hates having her food all mixed up together. How about you? Love em or hate em?
I’ve added a few new links to my menu planning Pinterest board so be sure to check it out for some great ideas!
Also today is the last day to enter win two sets of Oliver’s Labels. Don’t miss it!
Have a great week everyone!
My Weekly Menu:
Monday: Sisters Pesto Panini Sandwich
Tuesday: Baked Parmesan Spaghetti
Wednesday: Honey Garlic Chicken served with rice and broccoli
Thursday: Leftover buffet
Friday: Fuss-Free Ravioli and Cheese Bake (family favorite!)
Saturday: Corn Sausage Chowder
Sunday: YOYO (you’re on your own)
WHAT’S ON YOUR MENU THIS WEEK?
Menu Plan Guidelines, banner selections and recipe helpers are here.
More family favorite recipes here.
One of my favorite menu planning resources:
Phoebe @ Getting Freedom says
I LOVE casseroles! I used to steer clear of them. Now, though, there are so many different ones–makes life easy, frugal, and delicious!
Pary Moppins says
The panini sounds wonderful and as for casseroles – they are life savers in my book. 🙂 Thanks so much for hosting.
April @ Angel's Homestead says
I love casseroles, but my husband hates them, so I don’t get to make them very often. That Pesto Panini Sandwich sure looks good, I’ll have to try it soon. Thanks for hosting Laura and have a great week!
Vanderbilt Wife says
I LOVE casseroles. I avoid cream of soups and boxed mixes now, though, so it does make it a little more difficult to make them with traditional recipes. Here’s one of our favorites from back in the day, though: http://www.vanderbiltwife.com/2009/05/family-recipe-fridays-friend-and/
Cathy @ Chief Family Officer says
I’m with you – I love casseroles (but won’t use cream of soups, so they take a little longer). Unfortunately, my kids don’t really like them yet so I don’t make very many. When they’re older and have bigger appetites though, I can see myself making a LOT, LOL. Thanks as always for hosting!
Elizabeth L. says
I love casseroles too. They’re easy, reheat well, and you can usually get multiple meals out of a pan. Here are two of my favorites:
http://lifelovelibrarianship.com/2010/11/recipe-turkey-divan/
http://lifelovelibrarianship.com/2011/01/recipe-chicken-spaghetti/
Have a great week!
Miz Helen says
Good Morning Laura,
I just love casseroles, as a matter of fact I have a great Ham and Pasta Casserole on my menu this week. Thanks for hosting this great party and have a wonderful week!
Miz Helen
Adelina Priddis says
I’m not a big casserole fan, but there are a few that I enjoy. I actually just had a baked ziti last night, and it was really great!
Frugal work at home mom says
I do casseroles and I am lucky that my family likes them. I also do alot of stir fry as well.
The Fuss Free ravoli… I have done that in the past as well. Will need to pick up some ravoli next week!
Wendy @ Celiacs in the House says
You can mix up my food anytime. I think it must be that comfort food from childhood connection, but I love casseroles and so do my kids. When we had to go gluten free after three of us were diagnosed with celiac disease, the first thing I did was to convert the old family favorite casseroles to gluten free and it made the transition so much easier to start with familiar tastes. Have a great week, Laura, and thanks as always for providing this great resource.
Amanda says
love, love, love casseroles. 🙂
Tiffany says
I recently took a photography class to get off auto setting too. I think I might finally be getting this food photography thing. At least I’m getting better, compared to the shots I took when I first started my blog. Good luck with the camera stuff!
Janet says
I like casseroles but not all the time. It’s nice to know I’m not the only one whose family has to wait for just one more shot. Oh, the life of a blogger’s family. Have a great week!
Jami @ An Oregon Cottage says
I do a few casseroles, but they aren’t our favorites, usually because they’re pretty carb-laden and I like to have the choice not to eat too many carbs. 🙂 Plus the best ones contain cheese and cream sauce- real cream – no canned soups, 🙂 and a protein-veggie-small portion of carb meal just seems healthier {shrug}. They are super-hard to photograph well, to boot. So there you have it – though you’ll still see lasagna, spaghetti pie, and enchilada cass on our menu occasionally!
Barb @ A Life in Balance says
I love casseroles! They’re a great way to stretch meat, plus they help me use up little bits of leftovers.
Carrie @ My Favorite Finds says
Thanks for reminding us of the importance of menu planning. Since I was on spring break last week, I didn’t menu plan because I was home most days and could just do it on the fly. But it’s so nice to be back in the routine this week. My two favorite menu planning tools are Pinterest (of course) and Google Calendars. Have a great week! And I love the new button!
Kate @ Behind the [Kate]Ball says
My dad hated casseroles, so they weren’t something I grew up with. In my almost 10 years of marriage, I have developed a definite appreciation for them–especially egg-based casseroles. We love anything breakfast-y!!! Thanks for hosting!
Queen of the House says
I LOVE casseroles!!!! But….my kids often don’t …the plainer, the better sometimes….sigh….
Have a great week! 😀
Manda says
I love casseroles. I would love to find some recipes that don’t use the “cream of” soups that other comments have mentioned.
Thank you for listing (and linking to) one of my recipes. I hope you love it! 🙂
JennGB says
There are very few casseroles I like. Mixing my foods is fine, but I really don’t like cooking most/all of the ingredients first, then combine them and cook them again. Then I have dirty pots and cooking utensils as well as a dirty casserole dish.
However, lasagna is one of our favourite meals, so I made two this morning – one for supper today and one to put in the freezer.
Tabitha says
I love casseroles. One of my favorites is this one:
http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/chicken-tamale-casserole-10000001854020/
Its really quick and easy. Did I mention so yummy too! 🙂 I plan it on my menu frequently.
Annette {Simple Mom} says
I love casseroles. It can hide the flavor of veggies like broccoli…less clean up. The only down side is that the leftovers are just leftovers. You can’t easily create a new meal from them. Thankfully, my husband doesn’t mind.
Steph (The Cheapskate Cook) says
Fun question! I go halvsies on casseroles. I think they’re delicious and I enjoy eating them but for whatever reason I rarely make them. It could be because our family goes back and forth with dairy allergies/sensitivities, and many casseroles have some kind of dairy cheesy ingredient.
I linked up our slow cooker menu. Since we’ve have a crazy work schedule recently, I started utilizing the slow cooker for almost every dinner, and it’s been really helpful. Even for non-slow-cooker recipes!
mrs spock says
Love them- as long as they are smothered in cheese!
Angela says
I like casseroles but my hubby doesn’t… the closest we get is lasagna. :/
Susan says
I LOVE casseroles–I can pack extra veggies in and lighten up on the meat, but we all feel full. Plus, I like more complicated flavors.
dddiva says
I can go either way with casseroles- some I adore, some make me gag. I guess it just depends what is in them. Mexican or Italian, mostly love- soupy tuna glop- gag me. 😉
Miss Mommy says
Personally, I love casseroles. They’re so easy, taste good, less clean up.
Unfortunately, one of my three kids really, really, hates it when his food is all mixed together, so it makes it so tough to make them for the whole family.
sheikh says
I just love casseroles that good job 🙂
Pizipea says
yayyy, at long last I made the commitment to join you and post my menu plan each week on my blog too – there’s no better way to make it happen than to publically anounce your intentions 😉
Casseroles, I personally love em, but they’re not a big go-er in our house. I have more luck with pasta bakes, I’m not sure if that counts? My mum used to make shepherd’s pie and things like that in small ceramic dishes for us when we were kids, otherwise we also would turn our noses up at the way it looked 🙂
Gina says
I love the ease of casseroles but hate Cream of __ soup, so it’s hard to find them! I tried that Ravioli Bake and love how easy it is to pull together, but I added a layer of frozen spinach for a little veggie. They loved it!