Skip to main content

Taco Casserole & Harvest Apple Salad

 Hi Friends, 

If you're looking for an easy, delicious dinner that your family will love try this meal: Taco Casserole & Harvest apple salad.

It is one of our fall favorites because it's so filling and feels festive with  fall colors (red & yellow bell peppers). Enjoy!🧡

Taco Casserole: 
◇Ingredients- Filling:
▪︎3 cooked chicken breasts, shredded
▪︎1 cup onion, chopped
▪︎1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
▪︎1/2 cup chopped yellow bell pepper (*any bell peppers you have on hand are fine)
▪︎1/2 bag frozen corn (*or 1 11oz can whole kernel corn, drained)
▪︎1 (8oz) can organic tomato sauce (*or homemade sauce)
▪︎1 cup shredded cheese (*I prefer a mix of mozzarella & cheddar)

◇Ingredients-
Topping:
▪︎1/2 cup pancake mix (*prefer Kodiak Cakes/waffle & pancake mix)
▪︎2/3 cup 2% milk
▪︎ 1 egg, slightly beaten
▪︎2 tsp.  Vegetable Oil (*prefer avocado or melted coconut oil)

◇Prep: 
▪︎Preheat oven 350°
▪︎Spray 9×9 or 8x8 glass baking dish with coconut oil cooking spray (*can do 9x11 if  doubling amount of pancake mix)
▪︎Add meat, onion, bell peppers, corn & tomato sauce in a large mixing bowl. Stir to combine.
▪︎Pour meat mixture into baking dish & sprinkle with cheese, then set aside.

◇Topping:
▪︎combine pancake mix, milk, egg & oil in mixing bowl. Whisk together until large clumps disappear.
▪︎pour over meat mixture & spread evenly.
▪︎Bake 30-35 minutes or until top is golden
▪︎Sprinkle top with additional cheese, if desired.

◇Salad: 
▪︎Add a bag of mixed greens to large bowl
▪︎Chop 5 slices of freeze dried apples into medium size pieces
▪︎Chop pecans *or candied pecans
▪︎Add above ingredients to salad greens, toss to combine.
▪︎Sprinkle with shredded white cheddar cheese
▪︎Drizzle Spiced apple vinaigrette over salad


We love to make extra of this easy recipe to freeze  to keep on hand for a really quick meal during a busy week. It's so simple & delicious :)
*To freeze: Add meat mixture to a freezer safe container or freezer bag & seal. Should keep well for 3-6 months.
*Tips: Plan to mix topping to add right before baking to keep topping mixture from mixing with meat mixture & to ensure it will bake properly.
When you're planning to prepare, allow to thaw for 1-2 hours before adding the topping and for best results. Bake for an additional 20-40 minutes depending on how frozen your meat mixture is. Remove from oven and check around the 45 minute mark & check to see if baked evenly, also if topping is browned. If meat mixture is not thoroughly cooked continue baking on lower rack in oven for additional increments of 5-10 minutes and check regularly so topping doesn't over cook. 

I'd love to hear your thoughts or comments if your family loved this recipe or anything you changed or added to it. Leave me a message in the comments or shoot me an email, I'd love to connect with you! :)  Also, for other tips, homeschool insights, travel tips, recipe ideas etc check out my insta pages: 

Happy baking!
~K


 
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Duel Enrollment programs, what are they and how do they work

   Hello friends, One of the questions I've received most often over the past year is what is duel enrollment and how does it work. Ever since we decided our daughter would participate in the program we have had many questions from family and friends. Mainly out of intrigue and interest, but I’m sure some curiosity about what the program is and how it works ;)  As most of our friends and family know, our daughter began her first year as a duel enrolled student at the beginning of this school year. She is both a junior in high school & enrolled as a freshmen at our local community college. The program she is enrolled in allows her to simultaneously earn both her high school credits and a years worth of college credits while she completes prerequisites at the community college. Depending on your child's interests and level of commitment to the program it is possible for a student that is enrolled to graduate high school & receive an AA degree at the same time. ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Pecan-Pear Green Salad

 My family loves this salad! I have been making it for holiday gatherings for the past 7 years and the bowl is always empty on the way home, haha. This year was no exception, although we had a much smaller gathering it was requested and as usual the bowl was scraped clean;)  One of the great things about this salad is that it can be prepared ahead of time and will keep well in the fridge for a few days (*before the dressing is added to it) which makes it a snap to bring to a holiday gathering, potluck or take on a picnic. Ingredients: 1 container of mixed salad greens (I prefer O Organics mixed greens)  1-2 medium  ripe danjou pears  (sliced into thin slices) 1 avocado (sliced into slivers or thicker chunk size pieces) 1 cup dry roasted, sugared pecans  *Additional ingredients options: Dried Craisins or Dried Blueberries Fresh blueberries & strawberries in lieu of pears Feta cheese Slices of Chicken would be excellent in this as well to add some more p...
Post a Comment
Read more

Dutch Baby breakfast/dessert recipe

  Hello friends,   Are you looking for a quick, easy and delicious recipe for dinner tonight, or wanting to make a special breakfast perhaps?  Then you will love how versatile and simple this recipe is! My family loves it and it is a breeze to whip up in a hurry. I think you will love how delicious & fun and how easy it can be altered for allergies and health restrictions.  Dutch baby recipe came from a small restaurant owned by Victor Manca in Seattle during the 1900's. He was an immigrant from Germany who coined the name for this recipe they served in their restaurant. The actual type of German pancake originated in Germany & has served as a staple breakfast dish throughout Germany. Dutch Baby: 1) Preheat oven to 425 degrees 2)Place  2 tbsp. butter (or coconut oil) into a cast iron skillet or Dutch oven and place into oven while it is preheating.  3) Batter In a medium or large mixing bowl combine: *1 cup flour (all purpose, gluten free, coconut,...
Post a Comment
Read more