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

Fun extracurricular activity ideas & learning opportunities to add to your home-school plans

Hello again friends,  In my last post I shared a list of over 170 field trip ideas to help get your creative juices running and thought today I would share a list of some of our favorite extracurricular activities, life lessons and fun learning opportunities that we have incorporated into our school life over the past 6 1/2 years.  I'm also including a fun list of things you may enjoy or want to try for the holidays. Especially since this year has been so different than every other year (thanks to Covid-19) I think it could be a really great year to find some new activities or traditions to try with our family and hope you might find some fun ones you want to try as well. obviously not all of these will be available in every area or at all this year due to everything surrounding the corona virus craziness in our country.  My hope is that you will find at least one new thing that looks like fun or peeks your interest and that it will help your family make some fun memories...
Post a Comment
Read more

Asian Chicken Salad

 Hello friends, This yummy salad recipe is perfect for a light summer night meal, a side dish at a bbq or family gathering & can easily be a delicious addition to any meal all throughout the year. It has always been a huge hit when I've brought it to a potluck and I almost always leave with an empty dish ;)  My family loves when I make this and it is usually devoured, although on the rare occasion we have leftovers they don't last long. I'm sure your family will love this as much as mine & it will soon become one of their favorites :) Asian Chicken salad recipe:    * 1  3oz package of ramen noodles * 1  14oz package coleslaw blend * 1 1/2 cups cooked, shredded chicken * 1/2 cup unsalted peanuts * 1/2 cup of craisins (I like using regular or cherry) * 1/2 teaspoon of basil (optional) * 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper (optional) * Chopped green onions (optional) Add all ingredients to a large bowl (break ramen noodles into loose pieces) and mix w...
Post a Comment
Read more

Chicken Corn Chowder

 Hello friends, This is a fall favorite (but it's delicious any time of the year) in our home. My kiddos and hubby often request this hearty soup because it has great flavors and keeps their bellies full :) I'm always happy to oblige & we usually have all the ingredients on hand and it is a breeze to make this recipe.  What you'll need:   I'd suggest using an instant pot as this recipe was designed to cook in one. However, it could easily cook in a crock pot or big pot on your stove with the necessary time adjustments ;)  *Instant Pot *1 cup chopped or shredded chicken (could substitute with any meat you prefer. This is also very delicious with some added bacon bits) * 1 bag of yellow potatoes chopped (or any potato you prefer) *1/2 of 1 sweet onion (I like to use sweet Walla Walla onions) * 1 red bell pepper diced * 1 orange bell pepper diced (yellow or green also works) * 2-3 medium carrots chopped * 2-3 stalks of celery chopped * 1 can (drained) sweet corn (or...
Post a Comment
Read more